


Sealed with a  Kiss

by Max_Goofie17



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Confessions, Fluff and Angst, Possession
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2018-08-29 14:25:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 35,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8493355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Max_Goofie17/pseuds/Max_Goofie17
Summary: Adrien decides to finally tell Ladybug how he feels but as Adrien not as Chat Noir. Lucky for him a ball in Ladybug and Chat Noir's honor is being held soon and Adrien sees to his chance to tell Ladybug. How will Marinette respond to the boy of her dreams confessing to Ladybug?





	1. Letter one: To Bugaboo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien decides he has enough courage to tell Ladybug how he feels as Adrien not as Chat Noir. Just his luck, a ball is being hosted in Ladybug and Chat Noir's honor. How will Marinette react to the boy of her dreams confessing his love for Ladybug?

 

Adrien Agreste sat straight up at his desk in his large room. He was still wide awake at nearly two in the morning. Just a few hours earlier, he had been Chat Noir fighting with his beloved Ladybug protecting Paris from another Akuma attack. The thought of her made his heart flutter, he was sure he was blushing. Her daring smile, her calculating dark blue eyes, her laugh, her lips... Adrien shook his head vigorously. He put his pen back down on the letter. The letter was about her. To her. He decided to tell her how he felt as Adrien and not as Chat Noir; she already knew how he felt but not Adrien.

He wondered if it mattered.

Ladybug often playfully rejected Chat on many occasions but that didn’t mean he’d stop trying. Maybe ,he thought to himself, she would want to date a model? No. He shook his head harder. She wasn’t that petty. She wouldn’t look for status or fame or money. Ladybug was different from all the other girls that “loved him”. He gave himself a mental slap for even considering his modeling career for such actions.

Adrien and Ladybug had only met a couple of times, but he had seen the concern on her face when an Akuma attacked the school or the studio and Adrien had went “missing”. He had seen her almost give up her miraculous to save an illusion of Adrien made by Volpina. He saw it all through Chat’s eyes. Adrien was a citizen she had to protect him, right? Nothing more, nothing less. Adrien thought about that often and had deeply considered it when writing this letter.

Ladybug saved Chat on many occasions and vice versa but they were partners. Saving each other was second nature.

Adrien stared long and hard at the letter as if the ink held the answer to his problems. She’d see it as a love letter from another fan. He was sure she had gotten so many others. He looked at the hundreds of letters on his desk from Adrien’s adoring fans. He loved the letters and his fans but not in that way. They were sweet and flattering but nothing more. Ladybug would probably feel the same way about his letter. Adrien let his head drop on his desk with a dull thud and let out a sigh.

Adrien was never good at this. Talking to girls, expressing his feelings, his father took care of that by setting up dates with female models and forcing Adrien to speak awkwardly to them. Most of those girls had become his friends or people he tried to stay far away from. Chloe fit into the “friend” category. She wasn’t a model, but she was wealthy another characteristic his father chose for Adrien: wealth or status.

Ladybug didn’t have wealth Adrien knew as much from just being around her. It came as a second sense, detecting such things. It was a trait drilled into him from his father, regretfully. As for fame, Ladybug definitely had that. She was the heroine of Paris but she never seemed to crave the spotlight or boast of her glory. She was quick to acknowledge her faults and let the reporters know she was a part of a team. Her and Chat.

She’s perfect. Adrien thought to himself.

Adrien sighed even louder, closing his eyes. This brought the attention of his cat-like Kwami, Plagg. “For the Love of cheese, will you shut up?” Adrien gave a sideways glance at Plagg who rested on his bed.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” his Kwami wined.

“Go back to sleep, Plagg.” Adrien called.

Plagg groaned and floated over from Adrien bed to his desk. “What are you doing up? It has to be well past twelve.” Plagg emphasized his point with a yawn loaded with Camembert.

Adrien turned up his nose. Plagg saw the letter. He didn’t have to guess who it was addressed to. With a swift sleight-of-hand Plagg held the letter in his paws.

"“To Bugaboo,”" he read aloud. Adrien whipped his head around, arms stretched trying to take back the letter. Plagg floated safely out of reach. "“Words cannot express my love for you~”" Plagg continued mimicking Adrien’s voice.

“Plagg, quit it!” Adrien cried in a whisper.

"“To fight by your side, bring me nothing but joy. In my heart is where you reside.”" Plagg snickered “That barely rhymed Adrien!”

“Plagg!” Adrien hissed. "“Oh princess, with hair as dark as night, you are the sunrise illuminating my life.”" Plagg snorted. “If anyone knows cheesy, it’s me. But this is-“

Adrien had caught Plagg by leaping off his rock climbing wall, catching Plagg with both hands, and barrel rolling on then off his couch.

Adrien retrieved his letter carefully smoothing it out. Plagg floated up completely unharmed as Adrien had taken the brunt of the attack. “… beyond cheesy.” Plagg stated completing his sentence. “Go to bed Adrien. You have a photo shoot or something in the morning. You’d never hear the end of it if your dad noticed the bags under your eyes.”

Plagg didn’t really know if Adrien had a shoot in the morning but the look on Adrien’s face confirmed it. “You can finish your love letter tomorrow. Get some sleep kid.” Adrien looked at Plagg then stared longingly at the letter.

With a sigh, he set it on his desk, letting his shoulders sag. He turned off his light and crawled into bed. Plagg floated onto Adrien’s pillow, they laid in silence. Plagg knew Adrien hadn’t fallen asleep. “I’m going to tell her.” Adrien said promptly. Plagg knew Adrien wasn’t just joking about professing his love.

“You can’t know each other’s identities, Adrien.” Plagg noted as he had too many times before. Adrien huffed turning away from Plagg. Adrien stared at his wall thinking about her. A hopeless romantic, he called himself but tomorrow he’d put the Hope in Hopeless. He closed his eyes actually praying for an Akuma attack for the first time in his life.

~~~

Hawkmoth stood in his lair with the large window closed. White butterflies fluttered around half heartedly, their soft glow lit up the room.

“No matter how hard I try, Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculouses never fail to elude me. Why is that, Nooroo?” He asked his purple moth-like Kwami.

Nooroo floated timidly in the dark afraid to not know the answer to the Hawkmoth’s question. Nooroo dug quickly through his vast mind to find a suitable answer. None came to him.

“Why is it that all my plans have failed? That all my minions, have been a disgrace? Can you answer me that, Nooroo?”

Again Nooroo couldn’t find an answer. “I-I’m certain you will succeed if you try again, Master.” Nooroo answered quietly.

“Try again? That’s all you can tell me? It's not enough to try Nooroo!” Hawkmoth’s yelled at the top of his lungs. Nooroo jumped, floating several feet away.

“Trying is not the same as succeeding.” Hawkmoth spat.

He took a breath and opened up his purple brooch. She stared back up at him. Her golden hair and soft eyes seemed to radiate from the photo.

“I need those Miraculouses.” Hawkmoth spoke softly to the photo.

A solution crossed Nooroo’s mind. He tried to wave away any emotion that the showed on his face but Hawkmoth had seen it already.

He strode quickly over to Nooroo. “Tell Me!” Nooroo tried floating farther away but hit the wall, trapped.

“There’s another way to possibly gain the Miraculouses but it may be a long shot.”

“Speak.” Hawkmoth growled taking Nooroo in his fist and pulling him closer. “It’s extension of my powers,” Nooroo struggled to breathe, “It has only been used once. It involves taking your conscious and putting it into and another living organism.”

Hawkmoth released Nooroo putting a hand on his own chin. “Possession, you mean?” he asked mainly to himself.

“Yes, in some variation. Your consciousness would be put in the form of an Akuma and work in the same way as an Akuma does. But with a consciousness mind, its power wouldn’t be as limited and it, in turn, would be harder to get rid of.”

Hawkmoth thought deeply, listening intently to Nooroo’s words. “Ladybug’s yoyo would be useless then?”

“No, not at all useless but it would be difficult to separate the conscious Akuma from its anchor point.” Nooroo locked with Hawkmoth’s eyes. “If you are caught by Ladybug’s yoyo you will not return to your original state. Your body will return to its original matter form and deteriorate without a consciousness inside it. You will die.”

Hawkmoth seemed taken aback by the statement but erased any emotion his face had shown. He looked at the brooch in his hand.

“How long would this last, Nooroo? How long could I control another form?”

“As I said before, Master, this has only happened once before and that Miraculous holder was caught by Ladybug.” Hawkmoth closed the brooch with a soft click, turning towards Nooroo.

“You are certain this will bring me those Miraculouses?”

“It might. The chances are very slim.”

Hawkmoth grinned a grin that would have made the Cheshire Cat green with envy. “A chance is all I need. Let us begin with the preparations.”


	2. Letter two: The Tempest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long chapter filled with fluff and a little sadness. There's some Adrienette and DjWifi. Not to worry the best part is yet to come

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had already bounded out of her parents Bakery for school. She walked with an extra skip in her step. Marinette had the right to be happy. The akuma attack had been right after she finished all her homework for the first time in forever. 

Alya jumped next to her along the way with a playful shoulder bump. “Hey girl. You look happier than normal.” Alya pulled back for dramatic effect, widening her eyes and lowering her voice to a whisper. “Did Adrien call you?”

Marinette pushed her away hiding the blush in her cheeks. “N-no of course not! I-“

“Or did he make a ‘special visit?”

“Alya! None of the above! I wouldn’t even dream of it! Not that I don’t dream of him. I mean I don’t! He wouldn’t come over. W-would he?”

Alya listened to Marinette’s love-struck babbling as a good best friend should, and within moments the two were at school.

 Marinette was winded and as red as a tomato. They had made it just in time to see Adrien exit his black limo. Marinette was still lost in her babbling to notice. Alya gave a sigh and turned Marinette’s overheated head to the limo. 

She nearly jumped ten feet.

“Oh oh no no no! What if he sees me like this Alya, what do I do!”

“Go get’em, Girl.” Alya gave her best friend a shove in Adrien’s direction. She accounted for Marinette’s natural clumsiness so she predicted the next part.

Adrien noticed Marinette’s wailing, as Alya knew he would, just in time for him to throw away the things in his hands to catch a wind-milling Marinette.

His face was calmed but surprised, hers was flushed beyond belief.

They stayed looking into each others eyes for three beats before Marinette pushed herself away and to the ground quickly picking up Adrien’s things and apologizing. Adrien knelt down asking if she was okay, Marinette didn’t hear him over her own apologizing.

“Good morning, Adrien.” Alya grinned as Marinette stood quickly putting Adrien belongings back in his arms. She took shelter behind Alya.

“Good morning, Alya, Marinette.” Alya felt Marinette shudder behind her.

“Morning Adrien!” she yelled suddenly.

“Whoa, what’s all the excitement for, dudes?” Nino appeared with his hand on Adrien’s shoulder. 

Nino looked between the various expressions on his friend’s faces. Adrien was giddier than most days although he had slight bags under his green eyes which were laced with concern. Marinette was hiding behind Alya, her face an unnatural shade of red and Alya looked as if she had just saved Paris. Nino could figure out what happened before it he got there.

Nino sighed and resolved that he’d talk to Alya when they were alone to tell her that shoving the two friends together wouldn’t well as it had with him and Alya.

Checking his watch, Nino was about to say they should head to class when he heard: 

“Adri-kins!”

Chloé Bourgeois called running from the top of the stairs. She threw herself into Adrien’s chest, nearly knocking down Marinette and Alya in the process.

Adrien shifted the items in his arms giving Chloé a weak smile before gently pushing her away so that she could at least stand in front of him.

“Good morning Chloé.” The gang said wearily.

“Adri-kins~,” Chloé purred ignoring everyone else besides Adrien, “Father is throwing a ball on Saturday and~” she paused for effect taking a moment to hand Adrien a golden envelope.

“Chloé,  I-“ Adrien started

“Oh did I forget to mention Ladybug is going to be there?” Chloé interrupted yelling Ladybug’s name. Students milling around the courtyard turned to listen.

Adrien showed a look of excitement but quickly hid it.

“Ladybug and I are practically BFF’s, so she’ll show of course.” Chloé added with a flip of her golden blonde hair.

Marinette scoffed under her breath. She opened her mouth with the intention to tell Chloé Ladybug had better things to do, when Adrien asked:

“Really? She’ll be there?” Marinette swore she saw stars in his eyes.

“Who wouldn’t be there?” Chloé gave a haughty laugh glancing at Marinette and Alya.

The bell sounded for first hour.

Chloé landed a kiss in Adrien’s cheek before skipping to be meet Sabrina at the top of the stairs.

The gang walked to class with Marinette silently fuming and stuck to Alya’s side.

“Dude,” Nino called to Adrien, Are you serious about going to that party?”

Adrien shrugged thinking back to the letter to Ladybug he kept tucked away in his messenger bag. “Maybe. Father may have something already planned for Saturday. He usually does.”

“Your dad is drag.” Nino deducted.

Adrien gave a small laugh. “He has his reasons I guess.”

Nino rolled his eyes “There’s no reason for being a drag. I’m holding on to the idea of him being a robot and just calling himself your dad.” The two shared a laugh.

Ms. Bustier’s class took their seats for first hour. Nino and Adrien at side by side on the bottom row. Alya and Marinette sat side by side directly behind them.

Adrien took out the invitation.

 The ball was for Ladybug and Chat Noir celebrating all their accomplishments. And then guests of honor would be none other than Ladybug and Chat with musical guest, Jagged Stone.

Adrien figured he should ask Plagg if Chat Noir could attend. Of course Adrien would have a piece of Camembert when he asked. He wondered if Ladybug would go, obviously Chloé hadn’t asked either hero about attending, but a party of honor is a party of honor.

Adrien wondered how he would get away from his father. Gabriel Agreste usually planned fashion shows on Saturdays, telling Adrien the day before that he’d be modeling in them. His father always assumed Adrien would be free although it wouldn’t matter if he wasn’t.

Either way, Adrien resolved, he’d go to that ball with his letter to Ladybug. Saturday was just a week away. He’d have to start preparing.

~~~

Marinette half listened to Ms. Bustier’s lesson on Shakespeare, she was watching Adrien look at Chloe’s invitation. She wondered if ladybug should attend. Chloe hadn’t asked her nor Chat. Besides that, Ladybug and Chloe definitely weren’t best friends but seeing Adrien light up at the sound of her name made her want to consider going. 

“Psst, Marinette.” Alya whispered. “Check this out.” 

Alya carefully showed Marinette the Ladyblog, a site Alya created for Ladybug and Chat Noir related news.

The trending  topic was Chloé’s ball at her father’s hotel, Le Grand Paris. Almost everyone on the Blog gushed about seeing Ladybug and Chat most wondered if they’d show, some answered that they would definitely show. The ball was a celebration of the heroic duo.

“I have to get tickets to that.” Alya whispered. “Or at least sneak in.” She added with a grin.

“Maybe you could ask Adrien if he can bring a plus one? You said Nino isn’t one for formal events.” Marinette suggested.

Alya considered it then shook her head.

“I’m sure I could get a press pass and I wouldn’t even dream of anyone other than you being Adrien’s plus one.” Alya nudged her best friend’s shoulder.

Marinette’s face turned pink with blush.

 “E-even if he were to take me-which I doubt he would- Chloé  would probably have a list with just my face on it with ‘do not enter under any circumstances’ in big bold letters. And besides I still have missing work to turn in.”

Alya looked puzzled. “I thought you finished all your work last night?”

“All the homework from last night.” Marinette corrected. 

“But the only homework we had was picking a book by Shakespeare to bring in today. “

Marinette smiled proudly. “Correct and I brought it.” She pulled a book from her bag, proudly presenting it to Alya.

Alya looked the book up and down. “Uh, girl? I don’t think Shakespeare wrote ‘A Thousand and One Ways to Cook Dumplings’.”

“What?” Marinette turned the book around nearly jumping out of her skin. “Oh no I must have left the book on the counter!”

Marinette threw her head on the desk with a loud thud.

Ms. Bustier turned from her lesson with a frown. “Marinette, I’ll take that as you volunteering to present your Shakespearean literature first?”

Marinette raised her head quickly with a red mark on her forehead. Chloé snickered.

“Madam Bustier, I don’t believe Shakespeare wrote about dumplings.” Chloé nearly cackled pointing at the book in Marinette’s hand.

Alya opened her mouth ready to snap Chloé’s head off, when a voice broke through the battlefield.

“Oh. Thanks for bringing that for me, Marinette.”

It was Adrien. He looked Marinette in the eyes, extending his hand and nodding slightly to the book in her hand.

Marinette looked confused for a millisecond but quickly connected the dots.

“Um sure, anytime, A-Adrien.” Marinette responded slowly handling him her book of dumplings.

“And here you go.” Adrien added rummaging through his messenger bag pulling out a book. He gave Marinette  and handing her the book. Marinette took it slowly looking with his green knowing eyes.

Adrien turned around and addressed Ms. Bustier. “I had asked Marinette to bring me a cookbook in exchange for one of father’s many Shakespearean texts. I’m hopeless in the kitchen.” Adrien explained with a shrug. “Sorry for interrupting class, Madam Bustier.”

Two beats of silence followed before Alya nudged Marinette. “Um, sorry Madam Bustier.” Marinette said finally.

Ms. Bustier looked between Adrien and Marinette questioningly.

“Make sure you take care of personal affairs before entering class Mr. Agreste, Ms. Dupain-Cheng.” 

“Yes. Madam Bustier.” The pair said in unison. Marinette looked at the book in her hand: “The Tempest” the cover read.

Adrien turned giving Marinette a thumbs up. Marinette mouthed “thank you” as calmly as she could but she was sure it came off too energetic. Adrien smiled warmly before turning back around.

Marinette gripped the book so hard she could see the vans popping out of her wrists.

Alya gave her a knowing wink. Marinette threw her head down-more gently this time- and tried to hide her tomato red face.

“The invitation still stands, Ms. Dupain-Cheng.” Ms. Bustier called “Would you like to present first?”

Marinette gave a muffled ‘mep!’ Ms. Bustier stared expectantly.

“Actually, Madam Bustier, I’ll go first.” Nino stated raising his hand.

Ms. Bustier looked surprised. “Mr. Lahiffe is… prepared? Hm, I never thought I’d use those two words in the same sentence.” she smirked. 

Adrien gave Nino a surprised glance, Nino responded with a wink. Alya gave Nino a proud smile as he turned to face the class.

                              ~~~

Class went off without a hitch.

Marinette, Alya, Nino and Adrien headed to lunch.

Alya gave a Nino a bump in the shoulder. “Good job, Mr. Prepared.” She grinned.

“I can be prepared sometimes, babe. In fact, ‘prepared’ is my middle name.” Nino beamed.

Alya put a finger on the her chin, pretending to look confused. “Funny, I thought it was ‘bed wetter’” Alya laughed as Nino aggressively muzzled her neck from behind.

“Um guys, we’re still kinda here.” Adrien grinned.

“Sorry dude.” Nino apologized detaching himself from Alya, holding her hand instead.

The gang sat at their usual table. Half in of the table was in the shade, the other half was in the sun. Marinette started to take her usual seat in the shade with Alya, when Nino scooted in with Alya not to far behind him. Nino gave Marinette an apologetic shrug. Alya shifted her eyes to Adrien taking his seat in the sun.

Marinette returned a pleading look, Alya once again motioned her eyes over to Adrien. This is time Adrien was staring back. He was clueless and Marinette was still standing.

“Hey Adrien, is it okay if I take Nino from you today?” Alya asked putting her head on Nino’s shoulder.

Adrien gazed at the two: Nino was somewhat confused but mainly focused on his spaghetti, and Alya looked determined.

“Sure.” Adrien answered. He turned to Marinette. “Would you be okay with sitting next  to me today?” His emerald eyes shone in the sunlight along with his golden hair. Marinette didn’t trust herself to answer verbally, so she nodded and sat.

“So about the book,” Adrien started.

“Oh here you go, sorry for getting you in trouble!” Marinette nearly yelled shoving “The Tempest” in Adrien’s unguarded chest. Adrien wheezed, Marinette was ridiculously strong.

Marinette went on a string of apologies.

“It’s okay.” Adrien reassured as he caught his breath. He pushed the book back in Marinette arms gently. “I brought it for Nino because I figured he’d forget about the text I sent him this morning, reminding him to not forget about bring his book for today. So I brought an extra on for him.” Adrien concluded with a smile.

“Since I wrong and Nino came prepared,” Nino gave a “whoo” through his spaghetti, “you can borrow it or even keep it. Father doesn’t really have time to read anymore and I’m sure the book would have just sat collecting dust in the library.”

Marinette sat mystified for a moment before saying: “Thank you, Adrien.” As shifted her gaze down to “The Tempest”.

Adrien must have seen some form of regret or worry in Marinette’s eyes.

Adrien gently retook the Shakespearean text from her hands and pulled a pen from his back pocket. He opened “The Tempest” to the back of the cover page. He uncapped the pen and wrote “Property of Marinette Dupain-Cheng” in his nearly perfect script.

“Here, now it’s yours officially.” Adrien closed the book and handed it back to Marinette. He had the same look as he did that rainy day they met when he offered his umbrella. 

She took “The Tempest” as she had taken the umbrella that day but unlike the umbrella, the book didn’t close on her. His pure laugher from that day echoed in her head. Marinette felt a smile tug in the corners of her lips. 

Adrien noticed Marinette’s smile, it was infectious and cute. For a spilt second he saw Ladybug in Marinette’s place. Adrien tried not to stare; he looked to his salad. Adrien chided himself for making the comparison. The letter to Ladybug was affecting his thoughts. He hated how quickly it has consumed him but he couldn’t remember his life without her.

Her? He was just thinking about the letter, right? 

Adrien though back to his life before becoming Chat Noir. He spent his days alone or surrounded by people who only cared for his face or money. He watched Paris from his bedroom window. Kids his age played and laughed with each other or kids younger than him walked hand and hand with their parents.

Parents. His father was Gabriel Agreste head of the Gabriel fashion empire didn’t even time for his own son. He was cold and slave to his work ever since Adrien’s mother...

Adrien’s mother. All the warmness in his home, the kindness in his father’s heart left with her as she went on that walk and never came back. He didn’t need the picture of her on his phone, he could see her in his mind. She had his golden hair, and his bright green eyes. 

Adrien Agreste spent his childhood trapped in his empty castle but this year was different. This year he started school, made real friends, found Plagg (or more like Plagg found him). This year he put on his ring and met her. He found freedom in Chat and Ladybug.

A picture of Marinette’s smile appeared in his head. Adrien felt a grin at his mouth. That confirmed it. He’d go to that ball. It was a celebration of his work as Chat, a celebration of happiness and safety. 

Adrien couldn’t wait until Saturday.

 


	3. Letter three: Everybody talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo guess who's back?

Marinette and Alya walked home together after school. Alya offered Adrien and Nino to join them on a trip to the mall later; Adrien politely declined as he and Nino already made plans to attend the grand opening of a place across town called Gamers Joint.

Alya reluctantly let them go their separate ways and to her surprise, Marinette said goodbye to Adrien without stuttering. Alya decided to file it away as progress and not make a big deal about it, she had played enough match-maker today. 

The two were headed to the Dupain-Cheng bakery as Alya insisted on still heading to the mall yet Marinette left her wallet at home after furiously stating she wouldn’t be buying anything. Alya begged to differ. 

The bell sounded signaling the girl’s arrival. The bakery was alive with the hustle of afternoon crowd. The air was filled with chatter of customers and the smell of sweet fresh baked goods. 

Marinette saw her father behind the counter handling rush hour. She made her way through the crowd, greeting regulars as she went. She gave her father a peck on the cheek. ”Hello Papa” Tom Dupain looked up momentarily from his work at the counter, his face relaxed he smiled. “Welcome home Marinette, hello Alya.”

“ Good afternoon Tom” Alya replied with a two-finger salute. After coming over for the hundredth time earlier had been given permission to call Marinette’s parents by their first names. “What are you two up to today?” he ask the duo. “Thank you for your business.” he told a customer 

“We’re planning on heading to the mall. Do you or maman need any help here?” Tom scanned the full shop. “No you two go ahead I think your mother and I have it covered.” He patted Marinette on the head with his free hand.

“Hot bread coming through!” Sabine called from the back of the shop before cutting through the girls and Tom “Hello Maman!” Marinette called. Sabine set the bread down on a shelf, turning over her shoulder with a warm smile. “Afternoon sweetie, hello Alya.” “Afternoon Sabine.”

 Tom finished with his next customer and navigated his way to his wife. Carefully, he shifted the bread onto the display above while Sabine straightened the pastries beside the bread making just enough room for the new arrivals. A loaf fell from the shelf Tom was arranging, Sabine caught it without a moment’s hesitation returning it to the top row next to the others. The Dupain-chengs shared a warm smile and a kiss before Tom headed for the back of the shop and Sabine headed for the counter. 

“Going to the mall, girls?” Sabine asked opening the register. “Yes ma’am.” Alya answered “Marinette and I have to get ready for a ball at the Grand Paris on Saturday” Sabine raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“What? Alya I’m not-“ Marinette started 

“It’s a ball for Ladybug and Chat Noir so, of course the Lady Blog has to cover it.” Alya said with confidence.

“Hmmm, Marinette hasn’t mentioned a ball, yet I doubt she could go what with all the missing homework she has to finish.” Sabine glared daggers at her daughter. Marinette avoided her mother’s gaze.

 Alya stepped aside as Sabine greeted and handed another customer. “The ball is fresh off the presses and you are one of the first to know. As for Marinette attending, I figured that preparing for it would give her an incentive to work harder throughout the week.” Alya straightened her glasses and stood straighter. “By picking a beautiful dress, she can have a daily reminder of her goal as the deadline approaches.” 

Marinette had to admit it: Alya had a good pitch but “Marinette” had planned on staying home while “Ladybug” went to the ball. She didn’t like the idea of jumping in between both egos, not when she had so much to lose if she somehow slipped up. She had agreed to go to the mall with the objective of just finding Alya a dress. Marinette also thought about making Alya a dress but dropped the idea given the short notice and that she’d have to focus on school work. Marinette wasn’t sure if she could balance, dressmaking, finishing her missing work and not to mention saving Paris, all at once.

Sabine thought deeply considering Alya’s pitch. Marinette watched her mother’s eyebrows knit together. Marinette’s mind ran a million miles per kilometer thinking of ways to get herself out of this. Everyone at school would be finding away to get into the ball or being dragged to it so she couldn’t ask one of them if they wanted to hang out the day of the ball. Besides that would hurt Alya.

Her parents would check on her every hour if she said she was sick.

Her mom would want Marinette to finish all her homework as soon as possible which Alya’s pitch nearly promised.

 Marinette shifted uneasily.

“I’ll let you go to mall but you will not purchase anything for the ball. I see your grades improve by Thursday, I’ll let you go and prepare for Saturday. Of course I’ll need to run it by your father first.” Sabine stated as she reached below the counter grabbing pastries for an order.

Alya smiled accepting the challenge on Marinette’s behalf. “I’ll make sure Marinette makes those deadlines!” Alya replying dragging Marinette up the stairs.

“Alya,” Sabine beckoned before the two disappeared.

Alya poked her head out from the stairs.

“Would that boy from your class happen to be attending this ball?” inquired Sabine, careful not to say his name in the busy shop.

Alya gave a wink before Marinette pulled her up the rest of the stairs.

Marinette closed the door to her room firmly before facing Alya with a pout.

“I’m not going to the ball Alya.” Marinette stated.

Alya rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “Oh come on, Girl. I saw the way you were eyeing Adrien and his invitation in class today. If he’s going, you’re definitely going.”

Marinette reached past Alya to get her wallet on her desk.

“Adrien and I are two different people incase you hadn’t noticed and besides it’s not like I follow him around everywhere.”

Alya raised an eyebrow walking over to Marinette’s message board. She flipped it over showing the other side that had Adrien’s full fourteen day color coded schedule on it.

“T-that doesn’t mean I follow him to those places!” Marinette exclaimed turning the board over.

Alya set her backpack down next to Marinette’s desk with a shrug. “Sure I believe you, Girl, I really do.”

“Alya!”

“What? I believe you! Alya chuckled “Come on let’s go before the mall closes, Mrs. Agreste.” Alya fake curtseyed.

Marinette protested and blushed all the way to the mall.

                               ~~~

Adrien was back at the Agreste mansion before the streetlights came on thanks to Gorilla and Nathalie. He opened the front door, met with a chill he was used to. “I’m home.” He announced to no one. Nathalie and Gorilla were on the way to Gabriel Agreste’s side at a fashion competition.

The walls of the Agreste mansion felt overbearing just as they usually did. Gray on the decorated walls reflected the cold feeling that plagued the shell of a home.

Adrien stalked quietly past the portrait of his mother careful not to make a noise as if she was at her usual spot, asleep in the sitting room. Of course she hadn’t been there in years but Adrien liked to believe she was. He liked to pretend to hear the soft keys of the piano under her gentle fingers filling the silence of the house. Pretending kept him sane most times.

The stairs to his room didn’t make a sound under his weight as Adrien crept up the stairs. He closed his door with a click that echoed throughout the large room.

Plagg zipped out from Adrien's bag. Without even looking, Plagg went straight for the camembert in Adrien desk dresser.

“Hey Plagg-“

“I know what you’re going to ask Adrien, you’ve been talking about it all day not to mention your Ladyblog notifications disturbing my cat naps.” Plagg grumbled.

“The Ladyblog? I haven’t heard anything from it all day.”

“Maybe it’s because I muted it.” Plagg snuffed taking another bite of camembert.

“Muted it?” Adrien rummaged through his bag.

Plagg was right. The Ladyblog was a blaze with the buzz of the ball as the trending topic. Some debated on whether or not Ladybug or Chat would show, some took pictures or videos of themselves grinning with tickets to the ball. Even Chloé herself had taken up space in the Ladyblog stating that all profits from the ball would go to Children’s hospitals in Ladybug and Chat Noir's name. (She even posted pictures of the sick children dressed up like the heroes of Paris. Overkill if you asked me.) To add fuel to the fire, she proposed to give a personal donation to the hospitals if Ladybug and Chat did show, which again, she assured they would.

Adrien let out a sigh, clearly the donations weren’t Chloé’s idea, he knew his childhood friend better than that, it likely belonged to Sabrina or someone else. It held his attention nonetheless. Alya had put up a video of her theory of whether the superhero duo could or should show.

“For all you party goers make sure you’re on your kindest behavior.” She warned through the screen. “We wouldn’t want to make Ladybug and Chat work on their day of celebration! Ladyblog out!”

Adrien hoped that Hawkmoth would take a hike for just one night but he knew Hawkmoth wouldn’t miss an opportunity like this: hundreds of Parisians along with Ladybug and Chat Noir under one roof? Hawkmoth wouldn’t just let that chance go to waste, there was too many ways he could try and get his and LB’s miraculouses.

Adrien reclined in his desk chair starting up at the ceiling, resting a hand on his face.

“What should I do Plagg?”

Plagg finished the last of his camembert in one bite. “It’s not a good idea.”

Adrien sighed “Yeah I know, Hawkmoth could be-“ 

“That’s not what I meant.” Plagg interjected shaking his small black head. “That Hawkmoth stuff is important sure, but I’m talking about you confessing to Ladybug.” His eyes glowed against the dark. “It’s too risky, you’re putting yourself on a thin line here Adrien. You should rethink it. If you’re truly worried about Hawkmoth having ammunition,  then don’t spill your guts to Ladybug if you’re not ready for her answer.”

Adrien frowned looking down from the ceiling “Are you worried about me being Akumatized?”

Plagg avoided Adrien's gaze.

“Look I’ve been rejected by Ladybug before, many times in fact. I’ll be fine I just want to know. Besides, Miraculous welders can’t be Akumatized, right?

Plagg hummed.

“That’s not very reassuring, Plagg.” Adrien sat up straight in his chair. The black cat Kwami hummed louder.

“Plagg-“

“That hasn’t been an issue before!” Plagg hissed. “Until now, the butterfly Miraculous hadn’t been used for evil! It’s used to create champions, but villains? Not to much.”

Adrien sat and listened intently.

“Once the butterfly miraculous had been used on another wielder but the results. .. ” Plagg cringed leaving his sentence unfinished and hanging heavy in the air.

“So you’re saying it’s happened before?” Adrien asked quietly.

Plagg drew a breath, “With the butterfly miraculous in dark hands now, it could naturally drawn to negative emotions from the embodiment of destruction which is me and that ring.”

Adrien stood slowly, striding over to cup Plagg in his hands. Plagg let himself relax in Adrien palms.

“I’m sure Ladybug is a good girl. I’m just-“ Plagg swallowed hard looking up at Adrien for a spilt second, his eyes weary. “I’m just worried.” He muttered quietly.

Admittedly, Adrien was surprised. Plagg had never shown this much concern about anything other than that faithful day when Adrien almost forgot to feed him. He still got chills from that day.

He stared down at the small Kwami in his palms.

“I’ll rethink it, okay?”

“Yeah, whatever” quipped Plagg.

Adrien got ready for bed actively rethinking his letter. Plagg snored fitfully, kicking Adrien’s head, and poking him in the eye or ear a few times.

“It wasn’t her fault,” Plagg muttered over and over again in his sleep. “She’s not evil.”

Adrien put a pillow over his own head drowning out Plagg whining. He’d already woken Plagg up twice asking him what’s wrong to which the Kwami would reply “nothing” before going back to sleep.

Adrien shelved this moment in the back of his mind wanting to find out more about it someday. For the time being, Adrien brought the sleeping Plagg closer to his chest, right over his heart. The slumbering cat bristled at the movement but relaxed falling into a less fitful sleep.

Adrien let his mind wander over the events of the day before following Plagg in the darkness of sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up its Max here sorry to leave you guys for a so long although I can't promise it won't happen again.... Feedback is always welcomed


	4. Letter four: Let it burn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hot dang it's late

If there was an award for having the absolutely worst timing in the history of existence, Papillion would have it. Marinette was in her second hour of completing her work before a buzz from her phone shook her from it. She sighed loudly. It was that familiar four toned buzz set for the Ladyblog alerting her to trouble (it’s to the tune ‘Miraculous’ from the theme song). 

Tikki flew to Marinette’s purse fishing out her phone. “Trouble downtown, Marinette.”

Marinette shoved her head in one of her textbooks. “Can’t Chat take care of it tonight?”

Tikki flew in front of Marinette with her tiny paws on her waist. “Marinette, Chat can’t purify akumas and he might need some help taking it down. Besides, you two are a team, remember?”

Marinette moaned in exasperation and lifted her chin to rest on the book. “Tikki I haven’t made a dent in my homework within two hours.”

“Paris needs saving Marinette, you can finish later. Come on!”

Marinette stood from her chair like a rag doll. “Tikki, _transforme moi.”_ She muttered. Pink light surrendered her in a ring starting at her bare feet to the top of her head adorning her in a familiar polka dotted red suit and mask. Her yoyo materialized at her side.

She went to her bed, made her pillows in the shape of her body and dimmed the lights before opening the doors to her terrace. Ladybug stepped out into the Paris night air, breathing it in deep. Dew from the other night mixed with fragrance of the plants on the terrace. The moon nervously peaked out from fluffy white and gray clouds in to the purple-black sky lined with stars.

The night was quiet as it should be on Wednesday night an hour after the sun went down. Soft lights glowed onto the street, through windows, from the headlights of cars. Ladybug squinted at towards the horizon where it looked like the sun was still hanging.

That wasn’t right.

The sun had already set unless, she went to sleep and woke up the next morning (it’s happened a couple times while doing homework). No that wasn't right either. Marinette had been watching the clock all afternoon planning her next breaks.

Her yoyo chimed at her waist. A call from Chat Noir. 

His goofy grin appeared across the small screen accompanied with glowing green cat-like eyes covered with a black mask, and a pair of black ears on top of a mess of charred blonde hair.

 _“Bonsoir,_ my lady. Wonderful evening isn’t it?” Chat purred and ducked. A plume of fire shot out across the screen. 

“Chat!” Ladybug cried out.

Chat reappeared on screen, a tip of his hair sizzled. “You rang, Bugaboo?”

“Hang in there Chat. I’m on my way!”

Another burst of flames took over the screen.

Chat laughed nervously “Take your time I got it all under control!” 

Call ended. The screen flashed.

Ladybug looked in to her bedroom window before clutching her yo-yo and jumping into the night.

~~~

Tonight happened to be exceptionally beautiful except for the occasion shower of fireballs. Chat Noir had hit one of them already; it had turned out to be a huge mistake. The ball split in two and hit a building he was trying to save. Twice. (Luckily the residents evacuated at the first sign of trouble). The akuma has nothing short of a female Ghost Rider complete with a flaming skull and the wings of phoenix spouting from a sundress of more flames.

The akuma- Aurora- got ready for another attack just as a red form swung through the night air. His Lady landed right by his side yo-yo at the ready.

“Fine of you to join this poor tomcat on such a beautiful night.”

“Incoming!”

Aurora arched its back, its mouth glowed red, smoke curled from the sides. In a swift motion, the akuma fired. 

Chat Noir and Ladybug leaped out of the line of fire, Chat watched for a moment as LB leaped into battle before running at her heels. 

“What’s the plan LB?” he yelled over the chaos. Ladybug was making the plan up on the fly, Chat could see her bright blue eyes calculating Aurora’s weak spot, planning it’s next move. 

Aurora’s body started to glow dangerous red just as its mouth had before.

“Move!”

She didn’t have to tell him twice. Chat used his baton to put distance between him and Aurora. Ladybug threw her yo-yo at a lamppost and pulled as she sailed back down.

Chat had an idea.

“Ladybug!” He called. She avoided another ball of fire as rushed to meet him.

“Got a plan, Kitty?”

“Certainly, Mademoiselle. First off-“ Another fireball came barreling down, the duo jumped to a roof.

“This is a girl who baked goods for her crush, he rejected them because the underside was burnt, so I’m guessing her curse is related to that.” 

Aurora let loose a deafening roar, shooting a tower of lava into the sky. It turned toward the heroes with a ghastly grimace . **“Give… Miraculouses.”**  

“No way, hot stuff! Gifts are reserved for those who I'd buy dinner for .” he winked at Ladybug. The disappointment on her face made him down right giddy. She was digging it, definitely.

Chat used his baton to get back down to the ground. “My Lady grab a bat and let’s play ball, two on one!”

He watched Ladybug try to put the pieces together. He hoped she would or he was toast, literally.

“Cataclysm!” Chat Noir bellowed as Aurora reared back for another attack. He used his paw of destruction on the base of a lamppost. He hefted the post in his hands getting used to its weight before twirling it behind his back and to the front just like his baton.

The akuma spit another fireball, Chat braced for impact. This is possibly the stupidest thing he’d ever done and he’d done a lot of stupid things. There’s no way he’d have enough strength the pull this off, not to mention the post would probably melt on impact. Admittedly, this wasn't his greatest idea.

Chat felt the heat through his suit, burning  his retinas through his mask, as the next fireball sailed towards him. He squared his shoulders, widened his stance, and gripped the lamppost. 

Shoulders tensed, oxygen escaped from the air, he swung.

A zip cut through the heat, a deafening clang rang out. The akuma screeched.

Chat opened his eyes, blinking out what was probably his eyebrows, out of his eyes.

When the dark spots in his eyes let up, he looked at the lamppost. The top half was completely gone, the part were it had be severed dripped with melted metal.

Ladybug tumbled to his side. “Can you think a little before you act, Chat?” Her eyebrows knitted in half concern, half anger.

Chat shrugged hoping he didn’t look as scared as he felt. “Who would I be if I actually thought, Bugaboo?”

“Probably not barbecue like you almost were.” She frowned deeply.

Another screech echoed louder than before. Aurora was lower, glowing a brighter red before shifting into white hot heat.

“You were on to something though.” Ladybug acknowledged. She ran to a crater from earlier in battle, tugging at a lamppost that tilted from the impact. Chat followed her lead, struggling to hide a smile.

She got the loose post free and tossed it to him. She jumped on a roof, casting her yo-yo, letting it catch the post. The duo swung together sending the fireball back the akuma. Aurora tried to dodge the attack but the ball caught its wing. Its came spiraling down, screeching in anger. The fireball burst a display of literal fireworks against the darkness.

Chat and Ladybug nodded at each other, pursuing the fallen akuma.

~~~

Ladybug couldn’t believe Chat. He could have died twice but from the look on his face, it didn’t seem bother him at all. That worried her. He had closed his eyes and put all his strength into both hits. Such blind faith. She’d never understand that boy.

Aurora arose from the crater it made in the middle of a street. It hissed at the sight of them.

“The bracelet!” a voice called out from a terrace. A boy with a brown mop of hair that covered his eyes, stood in his pajamas on the third floor of an apartment.

 **“David!”** Aurora cried, it sound like lava poured on a dying microphone **“Why… why don’t you love me!”** Molten hot tears poured from its eye sockets.

Ladybug had a Chat moment. Her plan unfolded as Aurora and David spoke. She caught Chat’s eyes, motioning them to Aurora’s bracelet.

“It wasn’t that it was burnt! I’m allergic to cinnamon!”

 **“Liar!”** Smoke bellowed from Aurora’s lips, it arched it’s back already to fire. 

A second later, the battle was decided. David ran into his apartment, Chat took the piece of the lamp post from the last attack and hurled it towards the akuma. It stumbled back in an effort to fly, Ladybug had taken the moment to use her Lucky Charm- a metal paperclip- as hook at end of her yo-yo, to snag the bracelet. She pulled back as the akuma pulled in the opposite direction, avoiding Chat’s attack. The bracelet came off, Ladybug pulled her catch down into her hands. She yanked the cursed object apart allowing a purple butterfly to flutter out. 

Ladybug cast her yo-yo, purifying the akuma. “Bye bye petite papillon.” Ladybug called as a white butterfly flew out in to the night. “Pound it!” The victorious duo fist bumped.

“Aveline!” David rushed from the back of his apartment to Aveline’s side as the darkness of being akumatized left her. A light blue skirt with a white blouse replaced the fiery sundress. Strawberry blonde curls tumbled from her extinguished skull framing her sun kissed skin. “David?” she murmured

“I’m here. I’m right here.” He held her close.

Chat strode over to the two as Ladybug shouted “Miraculous Ladybug” into the cool night air.

~~~

Ladybug and Chat waited a bit for the ambulance to check on Aveline. Chat’s ring chimed; he’d lost two of his paw pads but he had to talk with Ladybug before they departed.

She had already cast her yo-yo on a chimney ready for take off when he called out to her.

“Good job out there, Kitty.” She said.

“All in days work, my Lady.” Chat Noir bowed deeply.

Ladybug scoffed, a smile moving to her lips. “Try tell me the plan before you leap to your death next time okay, Chat?”

“No promises.”

Their miraculouses beeped, Chat was on his final warning.

“Guess that’s our cue.” Ladybug pulled on her yo-yo.

“Wait! I-I” She stopped looking puzzled. Chat wanted to ask her about the ball but he was at a loss for words. She looked so good. One of her had fallen pigtails loose, the end of her ribbon was charred, her face speckled with ash.

“Uh. That akuma! It’s name was a pun. Like Aurora because it was a roar-a. Like it spit fire and stuff.” Chat managed.

Her face held like stone. Chat cackled to fill the silence.

“Goodnight, Chat Noir.” He watched as she sailed into the night

Chat stood in the same spot waiting for a stray lamppost to impale him. The very last beep that echoed from his ring brought him back to reality. He rushed to a dark corner just in time to de-transform. Plagg floated in front of a shell-shocked Adrien.

Plagg shook his head. “Rest in pieces , Casanova.”

Adrien howled at the moon, loud enough to wake all of Paris with teenage angst.

 


	5. Letter five: Somewhere over the Rainbo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be out St. Patrick's day. oWo

Adrien was neck deep in his own despair. He’d used puns instead of actually speaking. He buried his head in his pillow, lifting a fist to hit the back of his own head; again. Of all the languages he knew, puns seemed to be his native tongue. ”Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” He pounded at his head with each “stupid”. Maybe if he gave himself a concussion, he’d forget how to be an idiot. 

“Stop beating yourself up kid, like literally.” Plagg suggested through a mouth full of camembert.

Adrien stopped his fist in mid air letting it fall limp like the rest his body. He laid flat on his stomach, groaning like he was an old man with bad arthritis. Then he stopped breathing.

Maybe if he’d stopped breathing he’d go physically brain dead to match being mentally brain dead.

He held his breath until his lungs burned, until his head felt like lead and exhaled. Adrien turned his head to the side taking in the cold air of his room. It was just his luck that was facing his desk. His third computer screen was on, shinning a picture of Ladybug in action at him. The blonde haired boy sighed. He resolved to get rid of all those glowing screens.

Adrien closed his eyes letting the soft glow on the screen pierce his eyelids. She was there. In his mind. Grinning.

His ears twitched a little; he could have swore he heard her laugh. Curse it all. He’d brought Ladybug home with him. As much as he tried, he couldn’t push her away even for a moment. Adrien turned on his back running his fingers through his hair. He stopped at his bangs, digging his nails into his roots and pulling. Internally he was screaming, externally he was groaning. There was a list, very long list of things he could have said to her. “Hey Ladybug, are you doing anything this Saturday?”

“Hey Ladybug, great job out there. Did you happen to hear about that party for us on Saturday?”

“Hey Ladybug punch me in the fricken face.”

Maybe that last one wasn’t a good thing to say but it was something other than puns. Adrien let go his bangs letting his hand fall in his face. Father would personally fight him if he found out his son made himself go bald. Or maybe Father would send Nathalie to fight him. Adrien imagined Nathalie taking off her jacket revealing her huge muscles. The thought lighted Adrien’s heart but then he imaged Ladybug coming to his rescue. She’d come with her yo-yo in hand bonking Nathalie in the head and sweeping Adrien in her arms. They’d sail through Paris right into Hawkmoth’s lair, kicking him right in the mask. They’d kiss, she’d reveal herself, they’d live happily ever after.

Dang. Plagg was right. Adrien was just too cheesy. He started the turn to his side bracing himself for the sweet suffocation of his pillow, when his phone buzzed.

Reluctantly, he reached for it.

**Message from Alya**

It was like 7:30 on a school night but Alya wouldn’t text him if it wasn’t important. So he opened it.

**Alya added Nino**

**ALYA:**

_Hey. You guys busy?_

**ADRIEN:3:**

_Not really, what’s up?_

**DJNINO:**

_Playin sum beats wat up_

**ALYA:**

_I’m trying to get Mari to go to the ball on Sat. Prob is she has mad hw to do before she can go. Need you two to meet me at her place to help._

Adrien sat up in his bed. Rereading Alya’s message. Marinette was going to the ball? He was sure Chloé would have put her on the “ do not let in under any circumstances” list for whatever reason.  From the looks of it, Alya was going too. There’s no way Alya would miss a chance to catch up with LB and Chat. Alya and Marinette would probably be covering the ball together for the Ladyblog. Adrien couldn’t help but grin.

Suddenly the ball seemed less stressful, his friends would be there after all. Finally people that wouldn’t talk about his father or his own plans for the future. Maybe he’d actually have fun at one at these things.

**ADRIEN :3:**

I _’ll be there in 10_

Adrien swung his legs over his bed. 

“Where ya going kid?” Plagg inquired.

“To study.” Adrien stepped in his closet pulling out a black hoodie.

“This late at night?”

Adrien pulled on his shoes. “Yep.”

“The library's probably closed by now, nerd.”

Adrien found his book bag and added some extra paper and couple of textbooks. He wasn’t sure what Marinette would need help on specifically but he noticed she often struggled with biology which he happened to be a pretty good at. That happened to be a class she missed a lot for some reason though he couldn’t be a hypocrite, the only reason he was passing because he’d learned most of it when he was home schooled. He’d lying if he said he was curious about where she went throughout the day but then again he often disappeared on modeling or Chat Noir business all the time.

“I’ll be back, Plagg.” Adrien called as he was nearly out the door.

“You already know I’m coming with you.” Plagg zipped into Adrien’s hoodie. “You never know what could happen out there.”

Adrien sighed knowing there could very well be another Akuma attack on the way to Marinette’s. He nor Ladybug knew the extent of Hawkmoth’s power. So far they knew he could akumatize a least two people a day but does that actually drain him? Does he actually need to detransform after every use of his power? Adrien wished he knew the answers to those questions maybe he and Ladybug could use that to take him down.

He stuck downstairs and out the front door without much resistance. The light to his father’s office was on; it sounded like he was talking to someone but Adrien didn’t want to pry.

Through the front gate, Paris was awake but just barely. Cars moved around at snail pace, streetlights lazily illuminated near empty streets. Adrien breathed in yesterday’s shower before starting out down the street.

On the way there Adrien thought some more; that seemed to be all he did nowadays. 

Did Hawkmoth know about Chat’s and LB’s limits? Probably not, they hadn’t given off that illusion. Didn’t  he wonder where they ran off too after saving Paris? What’s to stop him from making an akuma, letting it get defeated and them following in civilian clothes? Hawkmoth could be anyone, anything. Adrien shuddered despite the warm air.

His mind wandered into his own life. How long until his father took him out of school? How long until he found out how much of class Adrien was missing? Adrien sighed. The good things in his life never really lasted long; it was always a matter of when not if something went wrong. He tried to stay positive, shaking off the negative thoughts in his head. In times like this, he recalled his mother’s words. Behind every great storm is a greater rainbow. If that were true, Adrien had to be due for the greatest rainbow the world has ever seen.

The green-eyed boy felt a smile tug at his lips. Maybe his rainbow was already here. Here he was free from his home on his way to meet his friends, from his school and somewhere in the night, his Lady was there. 

Yeah his rainbow was already here shining as bright as ever. By the time Adrien had pulled himself out of his mind, he had passed Marinette’s house two blocks ago. He doubled back sprinting with a grin bright enough to power all of Paris by itself.

~~~

Hawkmoth sat in the darkness of his lair. He snapped his fingers, white butterflies illuminated the room. The middle aged man paced his room for a moment before de-transforming.

“Master?” a purple kwami called.

Hawkmoth took a breath, “Failed again.”

Nooroo opened his mouth then firmly shut it.

A white butterfly fluttered from the ground. It floated inches away from Hawkmoth’s unmasked face. Hawkmoth extended a finger allowing the butterfly to land.

It flexed its wings, Hawkmoth brought it to his eyes. “Are preparations complete, Nooroo?”

Nooroo flinched at the sound of his name. “N-not yet Master. It should complete by S-saturday.”

Hawkmoth grinned at the butterfly on his finger. “The night of the ball. How perfect.” Nooroo shuddered at the sight of his master. Under the light of the butterflies, Hawkmoth truly looked like a monster from the darkest of fairy tales. He paced again making a circle around his lair before spinning slowly on his heel. 

“On the day of Ladybug and Chat Noir’s grand celebration,” Hawkmoth moved his hand slightly making the butterfly flutter off of his finger. “ it is I who will be the guest of honor.” In a swift moment he ripped both wings off of the butterfly, watching its flight-less body fall to the very ground from which it rose. Hawkmoth watched the butterfly’s body wither before him. The villain raised his boot grinding the bug under his foot with a smile.

“Behind every great storm is a greater rainbow.” grinned Hawkmoth. He squared his shoulders, adjusted his glasses, and refined his calm composer. His arms folded neatly behind his back as he strode out of the dark, enclosed space into light.

Nooroo watched Hawkmoth close the door behind him. He could have sworn the absence of white in Hawkmoth’s eyes.

~~~

Marinette sat her desk with an ice pack on her forehead. She had  finally stopped hitting her head on her desk when she started to smell colors. She still had a very long way to go with her homework and that akuma did not help at all. Despite that she smirked. Chat and his puns.

After today she sworn him and Hawkmoth were related. Come on; Aurora, a roar-a that’s a pun straight from the book. Up till now, the villain’s names were in direct relation to what they were or what they did, which, she figured, held true for this one. However, the names were either that or something cool like Darkblade or something lame like Kung Food. Today he must have found that gray area in between.

Marinette looked down back at her notes. Without realizing it, she had drawn Chat. She hadn’t colored him in her daze so he was more Blanc than Noir. He looked up at her with that same stupid grin he worn tonight. She wonder what he’d actually look like white. Maybe trimmed in gold instead of silver? She shook her head vigorously. Homework! She had homework to do!

The black haired teen erased the sketch of the tomcat. In the process, she’d ripped her paper.

“Oh no!” she exclaimed. The poor girl ended up knocking down her lemonade all over her hard work.

“NO NO NO NO!” Marinette shook the papers in a panic causing them to tear. She set them down frantically, grabbing spare napkins from around her room to try and clean up the mess.

“Marinette, Honey? Are you okay?” she heard her mother call from below.

“I’m fine, maman!” she was in fact not fine. Ink ran down the pages finding themselves on others, pencil blurred into next to nothing. The napkins only moved the mess around.

Tikki fluttered from her place in Marinette’s bed. “Marinette? What going on?” the kwami questioned with a yawn. She opened her eyes all the way, seeing Marinette struggling to save her work.

Tikki yelped before zipping around the room in search for more napkins. Her brought all her little paws could hold and then some, helping Marinette clean.

“Not in circles Marinette! Just lightly dab the spills!”

Five minutes later the two had contained the spill and set what was left of Marinette work out to dry. Some lay under rocks on the terrace, some sat under paper weights by the fan but for the most part the worst was over.

Marinette threw herself in her desk chair, spinning a couple times before letting her hands rest over her face. She probably would have smothered herself with her own hands had her phone not buzzed.

New Message, the phone displayed. It was from Alya.

**REPORTERALYA:**

_Put some clothes on. Omw w/ French aid_.

Marinette reread the message: “On my way with French aid”? What could that possibly mean? What the heck was “French aid”!

Marinette typed these questions to Alya with no response. She had time to fix her hair back into pigtails and slip on a less embarrassing set of pj’s, (her current ones had unicorns and rainbow printed all over them) before the doorbell rang.

Her mother answered the door. Marinette rushed down, nearly tripping on the last step, to see her friends crowded at the door. Alya stood tall with Nino at her side.

“Evening, Sabine. Sorry to be visiting so late but I fear I am not keeping up my end of our bargain. You see, tomorrow is Thursday and I just got this nagging feeling Mari hadn’t made a dent in her work so I brought some help.”

“Sup, Madame Cheng.” Nino tilted his hat.

 _“Bonsoir,_ Madame Cheng.” Spoke a familiar voice. Marinette nearly had a heart attack. Adrien had appeared from behind Alya.

“Sorry, I’m a bit late.” He scratched the back of his head. “I got lost in my own head on the way and ended up two blocks away.”

Marinette was starstruck. His hair stuck out at all angles, his black hoodie hung off one on his shoulders, he was….. here?!

She felt lightheaded, swaying to the side. She’d forgotten to breathe. Marinette took in a breath willing herself to face this beautiful boy. Copying Alya, Marinette stood straighter and squared her shoulders. Her mind rebooted itself, forming a reasonable question.

“Doing are you what here?” Dang it. Good job, Yoda. She told herself as she bit the inside of her cheek.

Alya didn’t miss a beat. “Well, I’m good with the English and French lessons, Adrien is good at like everything,” Adrien blushed pouting a bit “and Nino has some grasp on history.”

“Nino the historian at your service, dude.” Nino bowed for affect.

Alya snorted. Adrien chuckled. Alya put up a hand lowering her voice. “He’s mainly here for comedic relief and jams.”

“I heard that babe, and for you information, I specialize in all of that along with being a historian. A historian that can lay down some sick beats.” Nino folded his arms and turned up his nose.

“Yeah okay” Alya giggled “ Anyways we’re here to help get you to that ball and better your education and help you graduate and-“ 

“Right I get it!” Marinette laughed. She was deeply touched by her friends coming to her aid. They all took time out of their night to make sure she got her work done. She wasn’t sure if she could ever repay them enough. Maybe some fresh macaroons?

“Alright well, set up camp down here then. Mr. Dupain and I will be upstairs if you need anything.” Sabine instructed. “There’s some pastries from yesterday in the fridge should you all get hungry.”

“Thanks maman. _Bonne_ _nuit_.” Marinette pecked her mother on the cheek as she retired up the stairs.

Alya pushed her glasses up on her nose. “Let’s get started then!”

The group studied with a passion taking breaks often, snacking on leftover pastries, and even playing board games. Through it all, the group of friends tackled Marinette mountain of work down to the very last page. It ended with the group passed out downstairs. Sabine came down to check on the study group. To her surprise they were all fast asleep. She called Tom down to help move the boys to the couches, set Marinette down in her bed and Alya down on Marinette’s deck chair in her room. Sabine doubled back covering them all with blankets. Tom called their parents (and Mr. Agreste’s assistance, Nathalie) letting them know where their children were, and that they were safe.

Plagg stayed wide awake. He raided the cabinets for cheese, then he nestled in Adrien’s discarded hoodie. The kwami made an effort to keep Adrien in his sight while staying out of plain view. He watched Adrien’s chest rise and fall. He watched Adrien's breath blow his hair out of his slumbering face. He heard the low growl in Adrien’s chest that would no doubt turn into obnoxious snoring.

Despite Adrien looking a lot more at ease here than at his home, Plagg felt anxious. Like if something would happen if he let his eyes off of Adrien. It wasn’t the bakery, this place was as clean as they came. Something just felt....off. That usually wasn’t a great sign coming from a creature of destruction. Plagg stared out past Adrien out to the streets of Paris. Whatever was out there, it’d better stay out there. He thought to himself in the dark of night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey its Max here, as always let me know if this should keep going and thank you putting up with me so far I can't promise steady updates


	6. Letter six: The issue at Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day away from the ball

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Madame Cheng woke the kids up an hour before school started so they could go to their homes and get ready for the day. She had also whipped up little breakfast bags for them to eat in case they ran late. They bid Marinette goodbye before heading there separate ways.

Marinette was beyond happy. Everything thing was done for the first time in like forever. She gathered her papers and went through them one last time. Yep they were all there, every missing assignment. Marinette heaved a sigh of relief. For the first time in forever school wasn’t an issue however the ball was. Marinette showered and dressed while thinking of ways to avoid the ball. 

She became distressed. She wanted to go as Marinette and enjoy the company of her friends. She wanted to go as Ladybug and have fun with all the Parisians she’s either saved or inspired. She wanted to show that the heroine of Paris truly cared for them. 

The black haired teen went downstairs, kissed her parents goodbye and headed to school. Marinette’s mind was buzzing, thinking of a way to work around the situation. She wondered if Chat was going through the same thing. If he had friends he wanted to meet but didn’t want to put his identity at risk. Was he even going? They hadn’t had the chance to talk about it yet. Marinette chided herself. She had the chance after that last Akuma attack but it slipped her mind since she was more focused on finishing her work. She needed to talk to him about this. What if the ball was a trap or if it turned into one? All those Parisians in one place with two heroes? It had “Trap” written all over it. What if they did go? What that mean they’d have to go to more parties in their honor? That spelled “Trouble” in big bold letters.

Before she knew, Marinette made it to school. Alya ran to catch up with her. “Mari!” She tried to catch her breath, scowling “Are you training for the Olympics or something? Why were you walking so fast?”

“Oh! Sorry Alya, I was lost in my own head again.”

Alya’s scowl turned into a grin. She straightened herself, swiped her brow and ran her hand through her hair. “You must be nervous.”

A shiver went up Marinette’s spine. “N-nervous? About what?” 

“Either finally being rid of all that work or about seeing Ladybug up close and personal at the ball.”

Marinette let go of the breath she’d been holding. “Yeah um definitely the work. I’ve never not been stressed before.”

“Wow girl, double negatives this early in the morning? You must be feeling good today.” Alya nudged Marinette playfully “Don’t worry about it. The hard part is over and now it’s time to celebrate.”

The two talked all the way to class which lifted Marinette’s spirits significantly. Nino and Adrien were already seated , offering warm smiles and thumbs up to Marinette. Alya patted Marinette on the back before taking her seat.

Marinette drew a breath before gathering all her missing work to give to Madame Bustier. She had put it all in a folder, the papers were held in place with paperclips to make sure nothing fell out. The front of the folder had her name, and the class brightly highlighted so she wouldn’t give the wrong things to the wrong teacher.

She presented the folder to Madame Bustier as confidently as possible. She apologized for letting her work get out of hand and promised to try and stay on top of her assignments in the future. Madame Bustier was taken a back at first but then complimented Marinette on her hard work and dedication. She also warned Marinette that she wouldn’t always take her missing or late assignments. Madame Bustier closed the conversation by offering her tutoring hours should Marinette need extra help. Marinette bowed and thanked Madame Bustier before going to her seat. Nino nodded as she passed, Adrien gave her another thumbs up. She mouthed “thank you” to the both of them.

“Well one down, three to go.” Alya noted as Marinette sat.

“Thanks to you guys, I’m ready.”

~~~

The day ended without any problems. Marinette’s teachers accepted her work offering their help should she need it. The gang sat at their lunch table where Marinette thanked them all individually with their own small box of macarons. Adrien was beyond excited receiving his gift. Marinette made a note to make him more sweets.

Adrien and Nino were picked up by Gorilla, Adrien’s personal chauffeur, after school. Adrien offered to drop Alya and Marinette off at the mall. Alya politely declined. She and Marinette needed some time to talk without Marinette’s crush in the same space.

The two friends took the subway to mall. Alya was the first to speak.

“Okay first things first: we need an idea of what dress to look for otherwise we’ll spend all day there.”

“Um okay. A dress.”

“Yes a dress,” Alya said her words long and slow mocking her best friend a bit “or a suit. Whatever you decide should totally match Ladybug or Chat Noir’s color scheme.” She pulled up a picture for reference as if Marinette needed it.

“So are you Ladybug or Chat Noir?” asked Alya. Marinette shook off the chill of irony of the question. There was no way she was going dressed as “Ladybug” so that left her one option.

“I’ll go as Chat Noir.” Marinette decided.

“Really?” Alya raised her eyebrow. “I pegged you as more of a Ladybug fan.”

“O-oh yeah but t-there will be tons of Ladybug look-a-likes.”

“Yeah and thousands of Chats. It’s ok though I understand: you’ll be Chat and I’ll be Ladybug. We already picked out my outfit so we’ll find you a black and green dress with silver accessories?”

“Preferably with little cats or paw pads.” Marinette joked

Alya laughed. “That’s so Chat.”

Marinette laughed along with her best friend. What would Chat think of Ladybug wearing something inspired by him? He’d probably be half way to the moon before he even got a good look at her! She could picture his goofy grin right now. His nose would be scrunched up to make room for a broad smile full of shiny white teeth. His eyes would light up under his mask. His puns would be never-ending.

The teenage heroine kept her partner in mind as she and Alya found a dress for the ball. It had a sleeveless green silk top that connected by mesh to a green band that went around the neck. Marinette changed the color of the band to black adding a simple soundless, golden bell in the middle. The top went straight down in a pencil fashion to the floor. Marinette cut the dress just above the knee adding layers of black fabric making a poofy yet functional skirt. The young fashion designer took the green silk from the bottom of the dress and made cat head silhouettes and paw prints to sew onto the skirt. The piece ended with cat knee socks, and silver heels. It took most of the night but the girls finished the piece just in time to catch some sleep and get ready for Friday  morning.

As expected, Marinette didn’t get much sleep. The buzz of the Ladyblog woke her from a blissfully sweet dream. With a groan she rose. Tikki whispered words of encouragement as Marinette prepared her bed, and ran a toothbrush across her teeth. She decided she’d save Paris with minor dragon breath.

She transformed and slipped out into the night. Admittedly, the wind breezing through her hair made everything better. Above the roof tops the world seemed peacefully asleep. Ladybug took a deep breath letting the chilly night air fill her lungs and clear her mind.

Ladybug flung herself high letting her yoyo trail after her. For few seconds she was flying then free falling. Her back was to the sleepy town. She opened her eyes to see a crescent moon shining broadly just above her. Night the clouds parted allowing the town to be bathed in moonlight. Ladybug arched her back, putting her arms in front of her, and dived towards the ground. She let the panic build up in her chest, she breathed evenly as the ground rushed up to meet her. Ladybug used her yoyo just ten feet above the ground grabbing a pipe and flipping 180 in her swing. The heroine shifted  her momentum take her into a wide arch. Not a second later she stood right next to Chat on the Pont des Aros, the famous Parisian lock bridge.

“Nice of you to drop in, My Lady.” Chat grinned.

“Hopefully I’m not late.” Ladybug remarked letting her yoyo swing at the ready in her hands.

Chat shrugged “We’re  both late technically since its 3:09 in the morning.”

Drool decorated the side of his mouth, his hair was out of place even by Chat standards but his eyes were alert. He stood in a crouch, baton at the ready.

“Where’s the akuma?”

Chat motioned towards the water. “Wait for it.” 

Just then the bridge shook violently. “Stay on your toes!” He yelled through the noise.

A column of water shot out from the river, a fish like Akuma floated in the middle for it. Illuminated purple swirls decorated the beast making it beacon against the dark sky. Water roared along with the Akuma. A watery fist shot from the column barreling straight towards the teenage duo. Chat grabbed Ladybug by her waist using his baton to propel them in the air. As the fist came, Chat retracted his baton just narrowly missing the attack. Ladybug took the opportunity to use her yo-yo to rap around a lamppost bring the heroes nearly a yards length from the akuma. Chat extended his baton, aiming to hit the monster. Ladybug screamed in protest but by then it was too late. The baton held firm in the water as the akuma had created a vacuum to de-arm Chat. His baton was swept into the akuma’s column. The akuma brought it, to what Ladybug could assume was its nose, and sniffed Chat’s weapon. Not a moment later the baton had been cast across the Seine and out of sight.

“Dang it.” Chat’s ears dropped with a scowl.

Ladybug lowered herself and Chat on the bridge. She wanted to tell Chat that that was the stupidest thing he could have done while the akuma had control of the water it was in, but she refrained. He didn’t need her to tell him his mistakes, heck, if he did that to her, her ears would fall off. No she’d have to make up a new plan of attack and quick. First, the akumatizied item.

The beast rose a fin from its bubble smacking it down in the water. A wave half the size of Eiffel came barreling towards Ladybug and Chat. Ladybug grabbed Chat by his belt and cast her yo-yo out to another lamppost. With a swift flick of the wrist, she had caught her target. Using the force from the post, she cast herself and Chat above the wave. Unfortunately the wave capsized a boat. Ladybug and Chat landed once again on the bridge. She managed to avoid the next series of attacks, losing Chat in the process. Ladybug resolved she couldn’t do this forever. The object, the object. Scales, fins, whiskers, gills…. the gills! A paper fluttered in the akuma’s gills although Ladybug wasn’t sure how it stayed together in water but regardless there it was.

The akuma got ready for another wave of attacks (Ladybug mentally kicked herself. Chat had finally gotten to her) . She quickly turned to give Chat plan but to her surprise, he was gone.

“Cataclysm!”

Chat Noir was already at the capsized boat. He figured LB would have had the same idea. He had used Cataclysm to break apart some large crates on the boat. Two long pieces big enough for him and Ladybug to ride and one heavier piece that would be his temporary baton. Chat had checked the math in his head. He had chosen two boards should support his and Ladybugs weight respectively and also stood a high chance of staying together given the estimated force of the akuma’s waves. He had to guess Ladybug’s weight, the durability of the wood and hope that each of the akuma’s waves had the same amount of force; he wished he had actual measurements and a pen and paper but this would have to do.

Chat rushed back to LB tossing her a board, luckily he had caught the Akuma just in time for it to raise its fin.

He caught Ladybug’s eye. He could see the gears turning in her head. She nodded had him; She had a plan. “Surfs up, m’lady!”

The Akuma attacked, the heroes of Paris rode its wave on the pieces of wood. At the wave’s peak, Ladybug called out her lucky charm- a mirror- she reflected light from the akuma’s scales into its eye. Chat grabbed the paper (what he assumed to be the curse object) from its gills, ripping it in half. Ladybug back flipped over the akuma’s head while casting out her yoyo to catch the akuma as it fluttering into the night sky. 

Chat caught the wave back to the bridge, ready to catch Ladybug in her descent. His Lady dove at the civilian who was dazed and free falling. She cast her yo-yo onto a pillar on the bridge, shortening the rope as she came forward. Ladybug skidded to a perfect landing on the bridge. She held the victim in one arm while she used one hand in front of her to slow her down. She crouched forward  on her tip toes; she was totally in control. Chat held back a sigh, he wished he was in her arms. The heroine cast her yoyo in the sky and cried “Miraculous Ladybug!”  

~☆~

Ladybug and Chat Noir sat atop a roof in silence after making sure the victim and the unlucky boatman were safe.

“Soooo Chat-”

“My Lady-” the two had spoken of over each other trying ask the same question. Chat insisted Ladybug go first, she did the same, their miraculouses beeped, they were both running out of time.

“Okay! I’ll go.” Ladybug chimed. “You heard about that ball for us on Saturday right?”

“Yeah, who hasn’t?” Chat snorted.

“Do you think we should go? I mean the person throwing it made a pretty bold offer but like you said, who hasn’t heard of it? Surely Hawkmoth has.”

Chat let his shoulders sag. “I was thinking about that too. But it’s a big event someone is bound to get akumatizied there and who knows what damage they could do in such a crowded space? Besides, I think we’d have to make house call to this place anyway Ladybug.”

Ladybug looked four different types of worried. “If we go, we shouldn’t stay for long, it could be a trap.” She pointed a finger . “We should also use that time to announce that we can’t attend future events like that for um, safety reasons.”

“Agreed.” Chat nodded thoughtfully. Their miraculouses beeped at the same time. The two stood on the roof top. “So I’ll see you Saturday?”

Ladybug cast her yoyo then turned to Chat Noir. “It’s a date.” She winked.

Chat watched her sail into the night. He could hardly breathe, he was certain he was blushing under his mask but could you blame him!

He hustled off the roof and into a dark corner. Chat Noir released his transformation. Adrien pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming…… he _WASN'T_. Her words replayed into his head. 

“ _It’s a date_.” She had said with a _**wink**_.

The blond teen let out several whoops before taking his party to the street. He whooped, hollered, and danced as Plagg watched on in darkness with his paws folded. 

“SHUT UP OUT THERE I’M TRYING TO SLEEP!” a voice called from an open window.

“Sorry!” Adrien called. He put Plagg in his pocket and ran down the street catching lampposts in the crook of his arms and swinging around them “ _Singin in the Rain_ ” style.

Now Adrien was sure of it: his rainbow was coming with the rising sun just over the horizon. He’d never been more sure of anything in his life: He would give Ladybug his letter on Saturday.

 


	7. With a comma after Dearest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy summer vacation my dudes. One warning there is one curse word towards the end

 

Adrien wasn’t asleep after the akuma attack he was staring up at his ceiling from his desk chair as the sun rose. Plagg had long since fallen asleep on Adrien's pillow which was good since Adrien was working on his letter. He loved Plagg, he really did, but he didn’t need his kwami hovering over his shoulder telling him how cheesy everything was. Adrien rolled his neck and shoulders.

He decided to abandon his poem idea because the rhyming proved to be more difficult than he thought. After he finished a line he thought of something better to write or rhyme with. Throughout that process his paper became 90% tape with all the erasing he had to do. He subtracted most of the puns from his first letter (which hurt him so much) to make this one more serious. _Maybe,_ He thought, she’d _appreciate the lack of puns._ He remembered her frown when he made puns on patrol (even the really funny ones. No, this had to be different but keep his real personality in every word.

 _“My dearest, Bugaboo”_ He started with a comma after dearest and worked his way down to Sincerely, then stopped. Who should he sign as? Adrien or Chat Noir? The letter had both of his personalities in it. Shy Adrien and bold Chat. He’d give it to her as Adrien but hope she saw Chat in it too. He hoped that she'd put it together and come running after him when he turned away from her, after he’d given her time to read the letter. He hoped she’d take his arm and ask the question he'd been waiting ever-so patiently to hear: “Kitty?” she'd ask with stars in her eyes. “Are you… Are you Chat Noir?” He'd smile and take her hand bringing it to his lips with a kiss. He'd stare into those big blue eyes of hers and say “You are perceptive as always, _m'lady.”_ Then he'd take her in his arms breathing in her sweet smelling hair before pushing it behind her ears. He'd gently cup her cheek his hand, taking a moment to admire those rosy pink lips of hers and kiss her. He'd kiss her like the world was ending.

Adrien sighed deeply. He wrote _“Sincerely Adrien Noir.”_

~☆~

Marinette was running to school. She had slept in thanks to that akuma attack the earlier that morning. Alya left at least 7 messages and 10 wake up calls on her phone, Tikki was still dead asleep and her parents were across town on a delivery. Marinette dodged cars and people alike on her and dash to school. She tripped twice but didn’t let that slow her down. Her legs were burning something fierce and she was losing her momentum by the time she saw the school building. Marinette bowed her head and ran with the last of her strength. She dashed through the halls, up the stairs and plowed into something soft right in the door of her homeroom. She and the something rolled into Ms. Bustier's room smacking right into the wall. Marinette heard a steady thumping under her ear, felt soft material under her nails, then she heard a scream pierced the air. The room was still spinning as she was forcefully yanked up by her collar.

“Adrien? Adi-kins! Oh my gods! Madame Bustier! That _wretch_ killed my poor Adrien!” Marinette knew that screech anywhere; Chloe. Wait. Killed ADRIEN?! Marinette sat upright pushing the spots from her vision. She could see Adrien's shoes under Chloe who was sitting on top of him shaking him. Alya was at her side before she could gather her thoughts.

“Marinette! Geez, are you okay?” Alya's amber eyes shone with concern. Her best friend helped Marinette to her feet. Marinette shook off the last of her daze.

“I’m good, I’m good.” Her eyes weren’t deceiving her, Chloe sat on Adrien shaking has hard as she could. Adrien groaned under Chloe's abuse. Ms. Bustier tried talking Chloe off of Adrien. Nino set his headphones and hat aside before putting his arms under Chloe's armpits as carefully as he could as he pulled her off Adrien. Sabina raced to her best friend's side. Chloe screamed and kicked, nearly hitting Adrien in the face. Ivan blocked the kick with his hand. Mylene went under his arm checking on Adrien as he gathered himself. Ms. Bustier ordered Max to get the nurse.

“Now class, calm down give them both some space!” Ms. Bustier tried to control her class. Chloe ground her heels into Nino's foot while Sabina pulled at his arms. Nino released Chloe with a yelp, nursing his possibly bruised toes. Chloe made a break for Adrien, Kim moved in front of her catching her in his arms. “LET. ME. GO!” Chloe screamed Kim lifted her slightly off the ground avoiding Nino's fate but costing him his shins. “Chloe.” _Whack_ “Chill" _Whack_ “Out" He said through gritted teeth.

“Get of me! I’ll tell Daddy and get you all expelled!” Chloe screeched.

Sabina reached for her phone quickly typing in her father's number. Her father would be on the scene in minutes if not seconds ready to arrest anyone she pointed out. Alya dashed from Marinette's side. She knocked Sabrina’s phone into the air. Time seemed to slow as the phone sailed across the room. Adrien slowing opening his eyes, Chloe destroying Kim's shins, Nino hopping in a circle, all of it slowed. Rose extended her hand allowing the phone to fall in the flat of her palm.

“Gotcha!” She proclaimed.

Just then, Max rushed in with the nurse. Adrien had his eyes opened he sat up and rubbed the back of his head. His hand came back speckled with blood.

“Oh.” He muttered softly. The class erupted into pandemonium.

~☆~

All things considered, Marinette was fine physically but mentally she was a mess. She had at least ten different comic strips playing in her mind. One where she was crying her eyes out at Adrien's funeral, another where she sat in jail, one with Adrien being hit so hard he forgot how to function normally. She saw him a helmet, drooling uncontrollably, she saw him fully recovered looking at her in disgust, she saw his father pointing his finger at her signaling to be cast down onto the list of blacklisted designers. She almost screamed when Alya shook her.

“You okay?” She mouthed. _Of course not!_ I _just critically injured the love of my life!_ Marinette wanted to tell her. She managed to shake her head, releasing the pigtails she’d been pulling. The bell sounded for the end of class.

“That concludes class for today. Reminder to read chapter 12 over the weekend we will start covering that information on Monday.” Ms. Mendeleiev closed. “For what its worth, I'm sure he’s fine.” Alya offered as the duo prepared for lunch.

“Hn" Marinette responded. Her mind filled with the worst possible outcomes, her heart thundered against her chest. Mechanically, she moved through the cafeteria. She noticed the absence of Chloe and Nino in addition to Adrien. Her classmates came to check on her, Alya answered for her. Marinette wasn’t in any shape to respond to them. A memory of her brief trip to the nurse's office etched itself in her mind.

“Adrien, dear, could you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?” The nurse asked him.

“Four?” He replied.

The nurse sucked in a breath. She was holding up two fingers. TWO FINGERS.

Marinette replayed this scene over and over. It was lunchtime and he hadn't returned. She and Alya sat at their usual table. Alya sat in the shade, Marinette sat in the sun. Her mind forced her to remember when he sat next to her. She remembered the sun lighting up his stunning eyes as he signed her name in ‘The Tempest'. She remembered the goosebumps she’d gotten when his hand brushed hers. His warm smile from that day said,

“Four?”

The image from the nurse came back in full force. She shuttered against the warm weather. She heard Alya’s voice in the distance. The memory pulled her in deeper threatening to drown her. Adrien had to be in a hospital getting x-rays with his father at his side yelling, pleading at the doctors to save his son from an injury she had caused. The doctor would tell them Adrien would have to quit modeling, she had ruined his life! She cursed herself for doing that to him. She resolved to turn herself into the police. Yes it had to be done it’s the only way she could fix-

A hand rested on her shoulder shattering her thoughts.

“This seat taken?” That voice, she'd know it anywhere. Without thinking, she threw her arms around Adrien. She hugged him tightly, feeling his shoulders tense. Marinette quickly threw herself off him in a barrage flailing arms. “Sorry A-Adrien! Uh w-welcome back!” She bowed several times out of shear embarrassment.

He stood there dumbfounded for moment with a hand holding crackers and the other holding a now squished box of orange juice.

Adrien cracked a smile even though his shirt had a huge juice spot on it. Marinette jumped at the sight of his shirt. She rushed around looking for napkins. Adrien set down his crackers and juice before taking off his over shirt, exposing his gray undershirt. Marinette was too busy zipping around the lunchroom to notice. Alya snickered. Marinette would had died if she saw this, she thought. The blond teen simply reached in his bag for a light jacket he saved for the changing weather. A simple jacket, a black hoodie with no sleeves and white and green paint like splatters over the shoulders. Marinette returned with her arms full of assorted napkins.

“Here you-" Adrien now sat at the table with a jacket. “-go?”

“Thank you, Marinette.” He took a hand full of napkins and gently dabbed them on his shirt. Marinette stood there as he worked, unsure how to function. Nino slid next Alya, leaving Marinette next to Adrien again. She cast a worried glance over to Alya, who nodded, gesturing for her to take a seat. Marinette reluctantly sat next her crush. The group continued in stifling silence. Adrien was too focused in his shirt, Alya and Marinette were having an intense argument with their eyes, and Nino, well Nino was eating. Alya spoke up first:

“So Adrien,” Adrien looked up from his shirt, “how are you feeling? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, im good. Been through a lot worse.” He chuckled. Marinette let go of the breath she'd been holding since that morning. She took another breath, forming her sentence in her head, carefully and slowly so she wouldn’t mess it up.

“Sorry again for this morning Adrien. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going.” She sank into her seat avoiding those eyes of his.

“Its okay, Marinette. Really it is. Those kind of things happen to everyone at least once in a while.” She sank even deeper in her seat. Adrien racked his brain for things that would cheer her up.

“Like this one time, I fell asleep during makeup for one of the biggest fashion shows Father hosts in the spring. I ran out, still in a daze, right into a model who was five spaces ahead of me. So there I was, way ahead of the show and basically tackling one of Fathers best models off the stage.” Adrien shook his head, “Father had to pay the photographers big time to keep that out of the press.”

Marinette found herself smiling. “Even though a journalist released the story the next day.”

“Yep that’s something Father will never let me live down, no matter how many lumpy clay pots I give him for father’s day.” Marinette laughed with a snort. Adrien relaxed. He’d read off every failure in his entire life, it'd be worth it to hear her laugh.

Nino shrugged his shoulders, “Maybe he thought you tried to make a bust of him. I swear most of those look more like a bad attempt at faces than pots. I think one was Louie from Duck Tales ”

Adrien swatted at him from across the table. The group erupted in laughter. Marinette stopped her laughter cold remembering his hand stained with his blood.

“So, um, you got hurt earlier right?”

Adrien froze. He thought he'd succeeded in cheering her up but her eyes washed over from ocean blue to nearly black with sadness.

He moved apart the hair in the back off his head, revealing his wound. Marinette gasped the sight of it.

“The nurse had to cut away some hair back there to properly address it. I mean it's not bad, it's like right in between where my layers so its easy cover and it doesn’t even hurt-" Marinette reached out, nearly touching the band aid before pulling away. Adrien watched her hand fall away, he felt like Marinette would fall away too back into the darkness of her seat. He swiftly took her hand before it reached her chest and gently set in his band aid. He held it there for ten counts before letting go. She didn’t pull away this time, she allowed him to hold her wrist.

Marinette took her hand down. Adrien turned to face her. “I'm okay.”

“You're okay.” Marinette said with finality.

Comfortable silence drifted in between as they stared at each other. Adrien lifted an eyebrow unsure if his consoling worked. Admittedly, he wasn’t the greatest at understanding emotions even though he’d been constantly surrounded by people almost his entire life. With most of them, he didn't have to say much more than something about fashion or his father or his future or school. Even then he knew they really didn’t care, so it didn’t matter. Aside from Chloe he never really had a real friend to talk to but even with her all he really had to do was listen and agree. She did most of the talking and he supported her and kept her out of trouble as much as he could. When he did speak to her he'd have to chose his words very carefully. When she did get upset, his words could only do so much before she slammed the door in his face either physically or emotionally. She would built a wall around herself to where he couldn’t reach her. He wanted with all his heart to break down those walls and help her but to no avail. There'd been so many times where he wasn’t able to get through to her. However this was different. Marinette was right here in front of him and he'd be damned if he didn’t reach her.

Marinette broke her gaze with her finger on her chin. “Well if your really okay, then I guess you wont need the apology macaroons I planned on making…”

“Ah, wait wait! Uh, I think those would help me heal um, faster!” Marinette giggled. This boy really loves his sweets.

Nino coughed into his hand, “I sacrificed some of my toes for my boi… can I get apology macaroons too?”

“And I spent whole day consoling you, not that it’s a problem but-" Marinette cut Alya off with her hand.

“Macaroons for Adrien and Nino and a half a dozen donut holes-"

“Chocolate with sprinkles.” Alya interjected.

“-chocolate with sprinkles for Alya.” Marinette concluded.

“Wait can I change my order?” Nino questioned.

“Nope, all orders are final.” Marinette folded her arms half seriously.

“Aw man.” Nino pouted.

Alya leaned over to him and whispered, “I'll share some of mine if you share some of yours.” Nino nodded, they shook on it under the table.

“Ay! No trading you two!” Marinette called out. The group of friends laughed together.

~☆~

After school, Adrien had to head straight home, under Nathalie's orders, to see his father off on a business trip. Nino had to head to Le Grand Paris to do a run of his DJ-ing before the real thing. He mentioned the mayor wanted him to play because he was saved by Ladybug and Chat Noir and he won that competition earlier that month. Nino figured it'd be good to practice playing in front of big crowds and the event would get him “mad exposure”. Alya had to be home to babysit the twins while her parents went on their date night. Adrien, Alya, and Marinette wished Nino luck before going their separate ways. Marinette arrived home greeting her parents and the regular customers before getting behind the counter herself and helping out during the lunch rush.

When the shop closed, Marinette retired to her room, took a quick shower, then checked out her outfit one last time. She made sure it was sewn correctly. No loose ends, secure on every side, no exposure of sloppy stitching, and if everything flowed together. Marinette sat in front of her piece making last minute changes. Tikki appeared, zooming around the dress.

“Wow Marinette, this looks great!”

Marinette carefully took the pins from her mouth. “Thank you, Tikki. Hopefully it doesn’t look like it wasn’t put together in two days.” She chuckled then sighed. “Tikki, I don’t know how I'll pull this off. I already made plans with Alya and I guess as Ladybug. Remember when I tried to this, during the statue reveal? Someone got akumatized. I just-“ Marinette put her head in her hands and sighed again. “I want it to go well but I'm just not sure it will. If I stay home, I'll disappoint Alya and all of Paris, if I go as Marinette I'll be there with Alya waiting for Ladybug to show, that's also letting down Paris and Alya. And if I go at Ladybug who knows what'll happen? What if Chat was right and this all a big gathering for Hawkmoth to strike again? If an akuma came there who knows what kind of damage that would bring? I mean what if-"

“Marinette, calm down.” Tikki suggested. “Im not exactly on board with you going as both of you halves to one event but like you and Chat Noir said before, you two are heroes and are looked up to by a lot of people. You are beacons of hope. I think you should go enjoy yourself, make the call preventing this from happening again but most importantly be safe and vigilant. That’s all you really can do. I believe in you, Marinette. If anyone can do it, you can.” Tikki snuggled up to Marinette’s cheek.

“You're right, Tikki. Thank you.” She gently pet Tikki on her head.

Marinette pulled away from her outfit, spinning her chair to her desk. She rested her chin in her hand. Tikki floated next to her as they both looked out the window.

“Speaking of Hawkmoth, he usually attacks like five time a week. Where is he?”

~☆~

Butterflies fluttered aimlessly on the ground of Hawkmoth's lair. Light found its way through a hole in the center of the villain’s window. The piece sat in between its opening and closing sequence. The patch of light dimly illuminated the room. The man in question was absent. Silence weighed down on the space lightened only by the aimless flaps of the butterflies. His plan was already set in motion.


	8. That will be all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So uh how about a little angst?

Adrien crept into his house met by the same chill that plagued the monotone space. The click of the door echoed against the silence.

“I'm home.” Adrien called. He heard Nathalie before he saw her. Her heels seemed impossibility loud on granite floors. She wore her standard pant suit with her dark hair and red streak in a tight bun. His father's assistant held her clipboard in front of her; she didn’t even look up from it to greet him. He was used to though on some occasions she gave him a tasteful nod upon his arrival. If he was being honest, Adrien only announced his presence because of the animes he watched long ago. Someone would return and say “I'm home.” To where another replied, “Welcome home" or “welcome back". He guessed that’s what families did.

“Adrien, your father is waiting in his study, please do not make him wait any longer.” She pushed up her glasses and turned on her heels towards Father's office. Adrien blew up a puff of air towards his bangs. He trudged down the hall after Nathalie. The teen wondered why Father would call him in for this kind of thing; he usually just left especially at the important moments like when Adrien was one of the few honored in his class for academics. Adrien remembered telling himself to not bother searching the crowd for his father. Then he remembered the pang of sadness when he looked anyway. That time Father was away in America, the next time he was right downtown but just couldn't make it. Adrien was sure the ball was of no importance to Father so there was nothing for Father to miss out on. With a shock, Adrien realized this could be one of those trips where he had to go. Meetings like this always meant long trips, as in long enough that your friends would think you either picked up a new life somewhere else or died. Adrien grit his teeth. He did NOT want to disappear before he went to his ball.  
He stood at the large oak door that separated him and his father. He really didn't want to enter but Nathalie seemed to be ready to catch him if he ran. Adrien took a deep breath, ran his hand through his hair and straightened his shirt. Exhaling, Adrien opened the door.

Father was sitting just the way Adrien pictured him. His tall slender frame leaned over his large desk. His eyes bore icy daggers into Adrien's soul. Luckily, Adrien had realized at a young age, that his Father’s glare was natural. Father's long fingers intertwined covering his mouth; Adrien figured he was wearing his trademark frown.

“Adrien.” He greeted.

“Father.” Adrien took a seat as calmly as he could. Whenever he met with his father, it always felt like they were discussing business rather than speaking as father and son. Today was no different.  
Father released his fingers and straightened his back. His gave him that towering and in charge feeling that Adrien guessed he survived on.

“How was school today?” He questioned. Adrien figured this meeting was important; Father never asked about school unless he was trying to actually be human.

“Fine. I received high marks this semester.” Adrien answered in his father's preferred tone.

“As expected of you.” Father said absently. Adrien wanted to tell his father that he was currently top of his class but he knew he'd get the same response. “I will be leaving tomorrow morning on a business trip. My return has yet to be set in stone,” Adrien felt like sighing. He already saw his father once every other week. How ever long this trip would be, it would probably feel them same as if he stayed. “I trust that you will behave yourself in my absence.”

“Yes Father.”

“Good. You will be entrusted to Nathalie and your bodyguard for the time being. You will-" Adrien drowned his out as he set down the same rules Adrien already lived under. The teen couldn’t understand why Father felt to need to restate the rules every time he left for a long trip. Maybe it was a habit?

“Do you understand, Adrien?”

“Yes Father. Am I dismissed?”

Adrien watched as his father put his fingertips together and reclined in his seat. His father's icy blue eyes bore into Adrien with a different level of intensity. “Do you know of the event happening this weekend?” Father deadpanned.

Admittedly, Adrien was surprised at his father's question. Was this a trap? A plan to have him shipped off to another country? That’s the last thing Adrien wanted right now. He resolved to play it safe.

“No, Father.”

“Surely you must have heard of it, the celebration of Chat Noir and Ladybug tomorrow night?”

What was his angle? “Yes I have. It seems to popular subject around the city.”

“Indeed. I prohibit you from attending.”

Adrien blinked a couple times letting his father’s words sink in. “What?” This couldn’t be happening. The one social event he was actually looking forward to, just canceled out of thin air.

Father turned up his nose ever-so slightly. “It is as I said. You will not be attending. This event spells nothing but trouble for anyone who attends. If something happened to you…" Father seemed to look past Adrien for a moment before snapping his gaze back to his son. "No, you will stay home. End of discussion. Do you understand?”

Adrien opened his mouth to rebuttal, Father cocked an expected brow with his “end-of-discussion" glare match.

“Yes Father.” Adrien spoke through gritted teeth. He took it upon himself to be dismissed. Father didn’t change his position as Adrien left. Irritated , Adrien managed to shut the door softly behind him and stocked to his room. The teen locked his door and sat against it. He buried his head in his hands, gripping his bangs. A thousands question ran through his mind. Why would father even care? Care about the ball, care about Adrien? Danger was all around Paris, saying home wouldn’t help anything. Adrien recalled when “Jackady" sent an army to the mansion who nearly broken down the doors. He could make it safe little did Father know, Adrien kept his city safe from the OUTSIDE of these walls. A knot formed in Adrien's stomach. If something did happen Ladybug would have to face it all alone and if nothing happened he would miss one of the seldom times he got to spend with his friends outside of school.

Plagg appeared at his side. “So what are you gonna do, kid?”

Adrien rested his elbows on his knees. “That’s obvious isnt it? I'm going to pick out my suit.”


	9. Paris' devilishly Handsome Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'll be real with you guys, I've having the heaviest lapse of writer's block in these past months. This chapter took entirely too long but hey thems the breaks I suppose. Thanks for sticking through it with me.

So,” Alya pointed her pizza at Marinette, “do you think they'll actually show?”

The two teens were having a slice two hours before the ball. They had decided there was no use in just sitting around fully dressed doing nothing so they went on in their usual clothes and full makeup for the ball. In her mind, Alya thought this was a good idea but watching Marinette eat she retracted that idea. Marinette wasn’t normally a messy eater but for some reason today was the exception. Sauce dotted her nose, and somehow eyelashes. Her lipstick was all but gone. Alya sighed a little while setting a mental reminder to fix her best friends makeup before they leave.

“Wa?” Marinette responded covering her mouth after another bite.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir. Do you think they'll actually show?”

Marinette swallowed quickly and dabbed a napkin at the sides of her mouth. “I don’t know. I'm sure Chloe didn’t ask them before hand and if you remember, someone got akumatized the last time something like this happened.”

Alya figured Mari was referring to when Theo unveiled this statue, got akumatized, and did crimes masquerading as Chat Noir. “That doesn’t really count. First, all of Paris wasn’t there, second only Ladybug didn’t show and third, Chat was antagonizing Theo. This will be different.” Alya responded confidently. Marinette shook her head. 

“You're right on the first part: all of Paris wasn’t there but that doesn’t really matter. The fact is that it was a Ladybug and Chat Noir event and something went wrong. As for Ladybug I'm sure she had a valid reason for not showing,” Marinette blushed slightly remembering the real reason she wasn’t at the event. “and again no one knows for sure if Chat or Ladybug will show. They haven't confirmed anything yet.”

“But don't you think that's grounds for being akumatized? Like if you bought the tickets, bought your outfit, and got the courage to ask out your date,” Alya winked. “all for the main event to not show or cancel after it was basically promised that they'd be there. I mean think of the kids and die-hard fans that went to see their idols and were sorely disappointed.” Alya noticed Marinette pouting in disapproval. “Look Girl, if LB and Chat weren't going, they would have said something before hand right? Its been like a week since the news broke, if they were against it, they would have spoken up. They had lots of chances. Like when they fought Aurora, or when Chat saved that blogger from being hit by a car while he was on patrol or they could have reached out to the owner of the famous Ladyblog, Me! Besides, it would be in poor taste of them to cancel the day of or be no shows. I'm sure they knew about it, its been all in the news, it's the talk of the town! Unless they’ve been living under neighboring rocks, they know.”

Marinette hated to admit it but Alya was right. Why hadn't she and Chat said something before? Why hadn’t they made a video or something saying they wouldn’t be going? Marinette bit her lip in frustration. When she and Chat spoke they basically agreed that they’d go in order to avoid the things Alya just listed off; but that doesn't make it right.

“Just because they didn't respond doesn’t mean they agreed. That’s just not how things work.” Retorted Marinette. “I’m sure they're people under those suits with their own lives and their own personal obligations.”  
Alya paused for a moment, thinking through Marinette’s objection. Marinette waited somewhat impatiently for her best friend’s answer. To the blue-eyed heroine, Alya was a bit more understanding when it came to those decisions, and she could make an accurate guess on the minds and reactions of Parisians. After what felt like an eon, Alya shrugged with her pizza in hand. “Good point. I'll make a post about that on the blog to note that. But ultimately, we'll just have to wait an hour and fifteen to see what happens. Speaking of which, we should get going. I have redo your make-up.”

Marinette looked puzzled, Alya offered her phone with the camera turned towards the aftermath of a couple slices of pizza. Marinette gripped the phone in horror, screaming internally.

~☆~

Adrien was pacing. His mind was going million meters per second. Thinking, thinking of a way this could work out and all the ways it couldn’t, reasons it shouldn't. He stopped himself in front of his full body mirror. His blond locks were slicked back, his three-piece suit was simply black with and a Ladybug Red dress shirt under a spotted tie. He opted for silver cufflinks, and socks the same as his tie leading down to loafers that shone like black pearls. He was dressed to the nines but something was off.

The teen adjusted his tie and cufflinks, made sure all unnatural wrinkles in his clothes were pressed away, he even reshaped his eyebrows with his finger but still something was wrong.

He ran his hand through his hair, once or twice before messing it up completely, shaking his head vigorously. When he stopped, his hair fell naturally around his head becoming a mix of wild Chat Noir and tastefully tamed Adrien. He grinned, finally he looked presentable, or he would have if weren’t only for that….

“Uuuuuuughhhh,” Plagg groaned floating up to Adrien in the mirror. “You look pretty kid. Can we go now? You've checking yourself out for hooooourrrrrssss.”  
Adrien looked at Plagg through the mirror. He adjusting his tie one more time. “I'm done, really, I just-" Adrien lost his words. He wanted to believe he was just fussing over himself because he's a model, the son of an influential designer; appearances are everything. However, that wasn’t entirely the case. Ladybug would be there, he'd see her and she would see him. It just so happened he wanted to look his best for her, though he couldn't say that out loud.

This was supposed to be about the accomplishments of LB and Chat, about the lives they saved, the people that see them as heroes, it wasn't about Adrien and his feelings towards Ladybug. He told that to himself over a hundred times over the hours he spent getting ready. Adrien tried to push down what he was feeling, focus on the job ahead, just like Father taught him but his feelings were overflowing. They rose from his stomach, rested over his heart where his letter resided, and ran all the way to his face to make the red in his cheeks.

“I just want to look good for tonight, especially if it’s the last night I'll ever see if I'm caught.” Adrien made a mental note to avoid the cameras if he could. That would mean he'd have to evoke his inner Chat Noir and stick close to the shadows which didn't seem to hard. Stay away from the lights: check.

“Riiiiiight.” Plagg rolled his eyes “Remember, you're only staying for two hours tops. That'll be more than enough time to talk to your friends, say your speech as Chat and maybe even squeeze in an akuma attack then high tail it back home.” Adrien jumped at the mention of his Chat Noir speech: he totally forgot about it! Between school, work, saving Paris and a million other things, he'd forgotten his one job at this ball.

“And let me guess, you forgot the speech.” Yawned Plagg

“No! O-ofcourse not. I was going to wing it with Ladybug.” Plagg raised an eyebrow “I mean what’s the point, if me and LB haven’t planned it out together? I'll just follow her lead, simple.” Adrien fixed his collar one last time before deciding he looked alright.

“You make it sound easy.”

“It is, that’s the way it usually goes.” Adrien shrugged and walked to his T.V. He turned it on putting season one of Inuyasha in the DVD player. He'd spoken to Nathalie and told her he'd be in his room for the night and for her not to bother him. She naturally understood the request as Adrien often did this when he was upset at something Father did. It was an agreement they had. Adrien would be left alone to watch a show or listen to music however loud he wanted to for the night with very limited interruptions and when the night had ended, it was business as usual. 

Tonight, he anticipated what the limited interruptions would be: he made sure he ate well and made extra effort to let her see he was taking snacks up to his room so that she wouldn’t feel inclined to ask him if he wanted and food. He ran his shower longer than usual to let her know he had remembered to bathe. Last but not least, he let her see how much Father’s decision hurt him. He mentioned how his friends were going, how his closest friend, Chloe, was hosting (he hit this hard remarking on some of the memories he shared with Chloe as kids), and how his favorite heroes would be in attendance; he even threw in a sniffle for good measure. Adrien told his Father's assistant that he'd be in his room trying to forget all mention of the event and that her entrance might disrupt that. After all that, he reassured her he just needed time and he'd be fine when the night passed.  
Nathalie had nodded understandably and noted that Father had Adrien’s best interests at heart before letting Adrien stock to his room slow and hunched.

Admittedly, he felt bad for lying to Nathalie but he needed this night. Just one breath of fresh air to get it out of his system, then he'd go back into his suffocating concrete walls.  
He made a mental note to thank her for this night.

Adrien clutched the remote in his hands then turned up the volume on the T.V.

“Plagg, _transforme moi_ _.”_

~☆~

Marinette tried not to be awestruck at the sight of the ballroom, but that proved to be difficult.

The whole space was decked out in red, green, and black. Streamers seemed to dance with balloons in the rafters, the walls held up paintings of the heroes of Paris facing off against akumas; Marinette guessed Chloe commissioned those. Tables decorated in either paws or spots stood in three arcs defining the dance floor and stage. At the furthest wall, illuminated by a combination of moonlight and artificial lights, stood a large ice sculpture in the image of Ladybug and Chat sticking power poses. Ice Ladybug was in the stance Ladybug holds when she calls “Miraculous Ladybug!” after defeating an akuma. White paper butterflies hung from the ceiling spreading over LB's iced yoyo which had a bright gradient red light shining from the center. Ice Chat Noir crouched below Ice Ladybug as if he'd just stuck a landing with a Chat-like grin. One hand was open in a claw-like fashion with a light in the center alternating between green and black. His other hand held his baton sculpted diagonally near his chest. The ends spouted punch dyed black off the pedestal into a large bowl encompassing the sculpture.  
The last wall held a screen that stretched all the way from the room's vaulted ceiling down to an elevated stage surrounded with lights, laced with different types of sound systems and instruments, and two lone mics front and center.

Marinette forced herself to remember to breathe. This place was beautiful to say the least but she couldn’t help but worry about what this night might have in store for the attendees. She found herself checking the all the dark corners, listening to conversations for screams or arguments or tears, watching the windows for anything to come crashing through.

Alya bumped Marinette’s shoulder shaking her from her daze. “You okay?”

Yeah, yeah I’m great. Its just… the place! It so-so beautiful. It hardly looks the same!” stuttered Marinette. She could tell Alya wasn’t buying it, her friend lifted her brow before Marinette caught her eyes light up. Alya grinned broadly.

“Oh, I see!” Alya leaned over to Marinette with her hand cupped to cover her voice from listening ears. “You’re watching for A-D-R-I-E-N~.” She spelled out his name to keep the mystery.

Goosebumps pricked over Marinette as her face turned pink. “I-I’m not looking for Adrien!” she hissed his name.

Alya stifled a chuckle. “For what it’s worth I’m sure he’ll be here any minute, so don’t sweat it.”

Nino walked towards a scene he was used to seeing: Marinette buzzing like a bee around Alya. He figured his girlfriend was joking about Marinette’s crush on his best friend, Adrien. Speaking of which, the young DJ wondered if Adrien would show. He had spoken with Adrien earlier and figured he was hiding something, he seemed wired, and on edge using language no one has used since the 90’s. Nino noticed Adrien did that when he got nervous.

Nino remembered how excited Adrien was to go the ball, basically jumping off the walls; most likely for Ladybug. In the limited times Nino was able to visit, he noticed the wallpapers of the heroine on Adrien’s computers before he hastily switched them off. He also saw a ladybug themed blanket under Adrien’s comforter and the leg of a Ladybug action figure sticking out of one of his drawers not mention, Adrien was always on the Ladyblog. Nino was a lot more observant than people would like to give him credit for, but his main concern was Adrien’s dad. Nino swore the guy was allergic to fun, especially if it related to Adrien. He recalled all the times Adrien had to cancel plans due to his father shutting him down before he even finished his sentence.

Nino checked his phone looking for a text or a call from the blond boy in question: nothing. He took it upon himself to draft a message.

**DJNINO**

_Ay bro prty bout 2 start, U otw?_ _

The reply was almost instant.

  
**DATBOIADRIEN**

_Walkin up the street rn. Is squad there yet?_

**DJNINO**

_Squad assembled. LB and CN not here yet. No Chloe?_

  
Trumpets blared, all the waiters and waitresses rushed to the base of the stairs, a spotlight shone at the top. Nino had spoken too soon.

The woman of the hour posed in a Ladybug inspired dress. The chest mirrored Ladybug’s suit exactly except it was sleeveless. The bottom puffed out classic Victorian princess style in a mix of red and black. Chloe fluffed up the large black boa with red opera length gloves. She took a dramatic breath before addressing the crowd.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, your princess has arrived!”

The party applauded her entrance. Marinette openly groaned, Alya nudged her friend’s shoulder. “We are still eagerly awaiting the famed Heroic duo but-but-but Ladybug just called me herself to let me know they are on they’re way!” Cheers rose from the crowd, Marinette groaned even louder.

“While we wait, please welcome to the stage Jagged Stone!”

Jagged Stone appeared on the stage in a cloud of smoke with a hearty guitar rift.  
Music roared in the large venue. Marinette figured Ladybug should make an appearance after Jagged’s set. She tried to pushed down the burning hatred for Chloe’s lies and focus on the task at hand: making a statement then sinking back into the shadows and protecting Paris. She wondered where Chat was, they hadn’t even had the chance to figure out what to say or when. Marinette sighed, she hoped Chat would have the same idea as she did. She hoped Chat would be right there beside her; she felt better with him standing next to her. In the mix of the lights, cameras, and the overall surreal-ness being superheroes, he was always there, steady as a rock. And now-

“Hey!” Alya yelled over the music. “We gotta get a game plan going. If I know LB and Chat, I know they’ll be on after this set so we have to get ready like right now.” Marinette would be lying if she didn’t say Alya’s reporter skills made her a little nervous. She walked with Alya to the snack bar so they could hear each other better. “Okay so here’s what we’ll do: I’m not too certain on this but I don’t think they’ll have enough time for questions and if they do they’ll have to answer hundreds of them. There’s no guarantee that our questions will be picked so we need to get between the middle and the front, that’s the sweet spot not too close not to far. And then on the off chance they come down after questions, the stage has two exits on the left and right and maybe a backdoor. No definitely a backdoor in case something goes wrong for any of the special guests. Oh, but on second thought, we can’t be there. That’s something annoying reporters do and annoying reporters don’t get second interviews so- “

Alya ran through dozens of situations, Marinette tried her best to pay attention but quickly lost herself in Alya's sea of words. She was nearly. At her limit when she saw-  
“Adrien!” She called to him. He had just walked in looking a little disheveled. When he heard his name, he flinched and promptly sank into the shadows. Marinette squinted. Adrien would usually smile and wave back but maybe that wasn't Adrien? Marinette pondered this for a second before returning to Alya.

“Adrien just walked in?”

“Um maybe? He kinda ran away when I called out to him.”

“Huh. Are you sure that was him?”

“You know, I'm not quite sure anymore.”

“Evening ladies.” Nino walked over offering the girls two drinks. “Or should I say ‘goodnight'? I don’t know it's night but ‘goodnight’ sounds too weird.”

“The proper term is goodnight, love.” Alya kissed her boyfriend on the cheek, Nino blushed slightly. “So how's it going for you so far?”

“Ah same old, same old. I kinda thought it'd be harder to DJ to a bigger crowd but for some reason I'm not nervous or anything. When I closed my eyes and the music take over, it felt like I was just back in my bedroom. I even had some people come over to the booth and ask if I had business cards ‘cause they liked my mix.” Nino beamed with pride.

“See I told you everything would be fine. And to think you were texting me at 12 worried about it.” Alya grinned.  
Nino smirked. “I needed your input on pop music you know that’s not my genre.” 

“Well if you ever get around to making those cards, I’ll definitely help you design some. Congrats Nino.” Marinette raised her cup in a small toast.

“To Nino!” Alya lifted her cup.

“To Nino!” The small group cheered  
~☆~  
Adrien didn’t know what the heck to do. He made it to the ball and was suddenly having second thoughts. When Marinette called out to him he realized something deathly important: he's basically a celebrity at a public event for even bigger celebrities. How did he plan to stay out of the spotlight! He remembered his original plan to stick close to shadows and stay out the lights, how simple it seemed before walking to the biggest event of the year! He couldn’t back out now, someone already knew he was here and screamed his name calling even more attention to him. Adrien's stomach riddled itself with knots, he felt like he'd already been caught red handed.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand touched his shoulder. Adrien whipped back to see his best friend standing behind him with a confused look on his face.

“Oh Nino! H-hey wassup dog?” Adrien hastily held a B-Boy stance.

Nino squinted. “Hey bro, are you okay?”

Adrien blow air up at his bangs. “Pfft yeah I'm straight chillin' my dude.” He did his best to pull off a calm, natural smile but he was sure it looked like a had a couple screws loose.  
Nino took a slow sip from his drink. “He doesn't know you’re here, does he?”

Adrien let out something close to a whimper and dropped his shoulders. “No. Help?”

“If you want my opinion, you're already in too deep. You were right behind Lind Sullivan, you know the up and coming American opera singer? They took at least a thousand pictures and you're bound to be in one of them.”

Adrien wanted to teleport back home and sleep this night away, he goofed up BAD and this would be the end of him. He wished he had the courage he had back in his room.

“The only thing we can hope is that you hid your face well enough that the press will have to have a couple hours to figure out if its really you. So in the meantime-” Nino pulled out his phone and typed a quick message. “-we make it even harder for them to pin you here, ‘dog'.” Nino poked Adrien in the shoulder.

~☆~

  
Ten minutes later, Nino and Adrien had switched clothes, changing Adrien's theme to match Chat Noir. Nino's “suit” was simply a green dress shirt with a black blazer with a small paw print pin, black jeans and converses. The only issue was that Nino was a couple inches taller than Adrien. Alya tightened Adrien's belt and cuffed his pants so he could walk without tripping while Nino kept off Adrien’s jacket and opted for just the vest and red dress shirt.

“Okay so Chat Noir or Ladybug?” Alya asked holding two masks she'd found on a party table. 

“Ladybug, definitely.” Adrien said hastily. The last thing he needed was for him to put on the Chat Noir mask and someone put 2 and 2 together.

“Chat Noir’s mask matches Nino's suit more but, whatever works for you.” Alya shrugged.  
Alya pulled back Adrien's hair into a ponytail, and Marinette went to work putting makeup around Adrien eyes, carefully set his mask on top and filled in the gaps. Within minutes, Adrien looked like just your average party goer.

The group stood back and admired their work. Marinette clicked her tongue. “I think if your going for the whole Chat and Ladybug mix, you should have more red. Nino, your tie please.” Nino handed her Adrien’s spotted tie. Marinette effortlessly tied the tie around Adrien neck just as she did for her dad sometimes. She pulled the top tight after last loop and met Adrien's eyes. 

They stared at each other two seconds tops before Marinette firmly put her hands on his chest pushing him away. “Ah you're good.” She blushed hard and hid behind Alya.

“Okay so now you can enjoy yourself to the fullest. Just don’t dance to hard, and control yourself if you see Ladybug, only some of that makeup is waterproof.” Alya winked.

“Thank you guys, really thank you I would have doomed without you.” Adrien remarked.

Alya snorted, "Tell us something we don't know." The group shared a hearty laugh.

Outside, Jagged Stone had let out a his final guitar rift. “Oh! Ladybug and Chat Noir should be going on now! Come on Marinette!” Alya pulled Marinette from the corner the gang was standing in towards the crowded dance floor.

“W-wait hey! Alya!” protested Marinette.

“Well, I should be getting back. After Jagged, my list goes on auto play. I gotta go back and man the fort. Catch you later man, enjoy the party!” Nino went back to his station leaving Adrien alone.

Adrien took a breath for seemingly the first time that night. He really did love his friends and wondered how he'd lived without them. In a flash, he came to the realization that he wasn’t living prior to meeting them he was just existing. He felt more alive now than the all the years that made up his life so far combined. Adrien resolved that after hiving his speech and giving Ladybug his letter, he'd dance the night away with his friends before his dad caught him and locked him away forever. Ladybug's letter appeared back in his mind. Tonight was the night he'd been waiting for since he saw her soaring though the sky on his first day of being Chat Noir: the night he confessed.

“Everybody give it up for Jagged Stone!” Chloe's voice cheered shattering Adrien’s thoughts. Well if Adrien knew anything about Ladybug, he knew this was his cue be Paris' devilishly handsome hero. 

“Plagg, _transforme moi.”_


	10. Goodnight Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time kiddos. Trigger warnings in the chapter note

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think should put a trigger warning here like for: anxiety, panic attacks and possibly for the depressed. Remember when i said there'd be angst? I'm an author of my word. Honestly I've been working this whole story just to get here. As an author I tend to plan point A and B but not the road that connects them. The hardest part for me is filling in the blanks while also trying to stay true to these characters. But anyway this for the all the peeps that hung in there with me for all this time (by the time you finish it you may not want it dedicated to you?) can't thank you guys enough.

"Everyone please welcome Ladybug and Chat Noir!” Chloe chimed.

  
Chat Noir strolled on to the stage, waving and blowing kisses. “Hello Paris!”

  
Cheers erupted from the crowd. He couldn't believe it; he'd never seen anything like this. A sea of red, black, and green from wall to wall. Flashes of light illuminated smiling faces. Out of over all of them, he looked for hers. He found Nino in the booth behind him and the back of Alya's head she seemed to be looking for something or someone? Oddly enough, he didn’t see Marinette. “As you all know, I am only half of this dynamic duo and-"

  
Just then, Ladybug swooped down causing gasps to ripple through the crowd. She rolled coming to a rest on her tip toes next to Chat. The wind from Ladybug's descent blew her hair forward; it smelled like cherry blossom. “And I am the other half.” Their cheers were deafening. She turned to Chat and gave him a wink and a smile, “Bonjour, Chatton. Hopefully I'm not too late.”  
Chat hoped his heart didn’t give out on him. He returned her smile, and bowed. “Right on time, my Lady.” They let the cheers continue for a bit before Chat waved his hand and the audience silenced. “We want to thank all you for coming. It has truly been an honor serve all of you.” Cheers. Ladybug nodded and waved to silence them. “But, please understand that we are here to protect you from the evil that has followed us into existence.”

  
Chat took to his mic. “He feeds off of your negative energy, promises “answers" to problems you can solve on your own peacefully with care and with time. We stand here to tell you that you don't need a special suit or mask to be heroes of your own stories. The monsters that you face everyday don’t have superpowers and they aren't controlled by akumas. They are everyday people who battle their own akumas but you don't have let those negative emotions consume you.” Chat paused and held a hand close to his heart. “Someone very important to me once said: ‘Behind every great storm is an even greater rainbow.’ So I believe if you can weather your storm, you can create your own rainbow. And maybe some of that light can shine on someone else and pull them out of the dark.”

  
Ladybug took a breath. “It only takes one small act of kindness to make someone’s day. One word to change someone's life. Each and everyone of you have the power to be miraculous.” Two beats of silence echoed until roars of approval elevated the building. Ladybug and Chat fist bumped in the light of the stage.

  
“Oh ah! Wait wait wait!” It took longer to quiet them this time but in time they settled down for Ladybug to speak. “Again very honored but ah we cant attend these type of parties or gatherings past this one. It's for security reasons please and thank you.”

  
Chat tapped at the mic once more. “And uh small, small reminder please do not try to fight the akumatizied on your own. Please continue to contact us via the Ladyblog to deal with them and evacuate the affected area, thank you goodnight!” Chat gave double peace signs and retreated backstage with Ladybug. She had already past security and as on her way to the roof probably to detransform; he had to get to her before she did.

  
He ran through the backdoor slipping in and out between reporters and regular Parisians alike. He managed to make it outside, sticking to the shadows until he found a darken alley to run to. Having spent years of his life running around the hotel with Chloe, he realized this alley had a direct shot upward to the roof. He extended his staff and held on tight as he moved to the roof.  
Chat landed on the roof just as Ladybug opened the backdoor to the roof. She stumbled backward, pressing herself against the door. “C-chat?! What are you doing up here?”

  
“Sorry to have _dropped_ in so unexpectedly but I just wanted to say that um,” He was in a bind. He didn’t want to give the letter to her as Chat but he couldn’t detransform in front of her; not yet at least. He decided to speak from the heart and work his way to figuring something out. “You were great out there. Really seeing the crowd, and all the people we've helped, it was amazing. Not to mention we came up with that on the spot. That was pretty … _miraculous_.” Chat wiggled his eyebrows.

  
Ladybug sighed putting a hand to her forehead, “Really Chat? Puns right after the speech?”

  
“Well technically, it wasn’t a pun. Just a quotation of words.” He stated.

  
She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. Chat shrugged. “What? It was.”

  
Ladybug rolled her while reaching for her yoyo, “Well thanks for the compliment but we did it together, which is pretty impressive since we didn't practice. I especially liked your bit about the storm and the rainbow.” She cast her yoyo to a nearby roof and tugged on it to test its stability. He was losing her. If he didn't give her this letter tonight, he would never tell her how he felt. He'd go through life constantly wondering what could have been and have a piece of his heart missing until he hit the grave.

  
“Yeah like I said, someone really important said that. Its like my mantra now. It gets me through any and everything.” He said, scratching the back of his neck.

  
“Hm I'll have to remember that.” Ladybug cast her gaze to the moon. “Look Chat, I'd love to well, _chat_ but I kinda have somewhere to get back to.” He noticed the moonlight in her eyes twinkle back at him as she turned back to face him. He noticed the way her pigtails moved slightly with the wind. He could have sworn his heart skipped at beat; she was simply beautiful.

  
“Okay but-" He searched his mind for the right words to make her stay. “Could you stay for a ummm-” Come on Adrien think! “A photo! Yeah a photo uh commemorate our first and last public party!”

  
“A photo? I'm sure you could pull some taken from the crowd. Most of those will get posted on the Ladyblog.”

  
“No, no, no. Those grainy images? Come on.” Chat fake scoffed. “It could take hours to find the right one. You know, one that doesn’t have a thumb on the lens or one with shaky quality or bad lighting or something like that. I mean look at where we are right now.” He gestured to the space around them. “A beautiful night sky clear and filled with stars. Lights shining ever so gently from the windows. This is the perfect spot for a quick selfie! Purrretty please, Bugaboo?” Chat but on his best and biggest kitten eyes and he even put his lip out a little bit like a kid.  
Ladybug followed his eyes before sighing and retracting her yoyo. “Fine, one quick selfie. Then I absolutely have to go.”

  
“Great! I'll grab a camera! Don’t go anywhere! I'll be right back!” He exclaimed before he ran out the door Ladybug entered from.  
Ladybug wanted to yell that they probably had camera in their weapons and that it was worth a shot to figure that out, but he was already out the door. She didn't want to yell down the stairs and attract unwanted attention, so she waited.

  
Chat Noir ducked under the stairs to detransform.

  
“Got any cheese kid?” Plagg questioned as soon as he appeared.

  
“No I think I left it in my other coat, sorry.”

  
“Ugggghhh come on. You haven't fed me all daaaaay.” Plagg whined.

  
Adrien frowned. “You almost ate a whole wheel before we got here.”

  
“Keyword: _almost_. And we've been here for like an hour. Whatever cheese I had evaporated when you walked out the door.”

  
“You were eating the cheese in my pocket while I was walking here.” Adrien squinted. “Now that I think about it: there's probably nothing in my coat pocket because you probably ate it all on the way here.”

  
“Yeah, yeah, minor details. What matters is that I'm hungry right now and I know I smelled some sweet, sweet camembert downstairs.” Cooed Plagg.

  
“Well you're going to have to wait, I need to get back to Ladybug.”

  
“You can get a photo with her anytime come onnnn.” Plagg noticed Adrien blush as he turned way. “Wait this isn't about the picture is it?” Plagg took Adrien's silence as the answer he was expecting. “You're still going to do it, aren't you?”

  
Adrien looked up at the stairs he had just descended before returned back to face his kwamii. “If I don’t do it now, I never will. What if we never find each other after we take down Hawkmoth for good? I can't live with this on my chest while I wait for eventually. I promise I won't tell her my real identity, I just want to try and just talk to her as _me_ for once without hiding behind a mask. I have to at least _try_.” Adrien didn’t want to tell Plagg that he had fallen way too hard for Ladybug. He'd couldn’t say that he imagined living everyday of his life like a sickeningly sweet dream with her. He couldn't express enough how much he wanted to wake up next to her, or watch the sunlight gently touch her face as they stroll hand and hand through the park. He could never say how her laughter is always ringing in his ears, how her smiles is etched on his eyelids. No he could never say that that.

  
Plagg sighed. “Make it quick, don't spill too much of your guts, and be ready for whatever she has to say about it afterwards no matter how rough it may sound.”  
Adrien nodded taking in Plagg’s words. “Alright. I got it.”

  
“Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be where the camembert is. Don't take too long.”

  
“Wait,” Adrien called as Plagg nearly zipped out the door. “Maybe you shouldn't go? In case, you know something happens?”

  
“If something happens just call to transform. I'll be sucked into the ring before you can even finish the word.”

Adrien looked at the ring then back at Plagg. He stared his black kwamii in the eyes and took a breath. “Please stay. I think having you there will give me the confidence I need to do this.”

  
“Really? I thought I'd have the opposite affect namely because I _don’t_ want you to do this.” Plagg huffed. “I know you won't drop this, so ...I guess I'll be here for you anyway. But as payment for my time and effort, I'll be taking your weight in cheese.”

  
Adrien chuckled. “I don’t know about that but I'll see what I can do.”

  
“Yeah you better.” Plagg muttered as he floated into Adrien's pocket. He shifted on one foot and pulled out his letter from his shoe. It was one of the only pieces of clothing he was allowed to keep after swapping with Nino.

  
Adrien looked back up the staircase. He gripped the letter and took a breath. His lady was up there and he'd kept her waiting long enough.

  
~☆~

  
Ladybug knew she shouldn’t be waiting for Chat Noir on this roof, she should be downstairs with Alya. Speaking of which Alya was probably losing her mind looking for her both as Ladybug and as Marinette.

  
She sighed as she looked out from the balcony. Chat was right; the night was beautiful but she wondered what was taking him so long. It had probably been a bit less than five minutes since he left but she had places to be. She paced wondering if she should just go and try to make it up to him later. No that would make her a bad friend she had said she'd stay for one selfie, it would be bad taste if she left without doing it. She debated with herself until she heard the door open.

  
“ _Chat,_ what took you-you. You?" To Ladybug's surprise, Adrien stood at the door instead of Chat Noir.

  
“Ladybug?”

  
“A-adrien, what are you doing up here shouldn't you be at the party?”

  
Adrien looked a little surprised then blushed and chuckled. “Guess I should asking you the same. It's your party.”

  
Ladybug honestly didn’t know what to do. She was above a party alone with her crush on a beautiful night. Under different circumstances this would have been perfect but right now she was thinking of how to escape. She thought about just jumping off the building and swinging away but what if Chat came back and she was gone? She imagined him being upset and sulking for the rest of the night. Then there was Adrien, if he's up here then someone could have followed him. Someone could be coming up the stairs right now. Suddenly the entire plan of sneak in – sneak out had become way to complicated. She had to think quickly and keep her cool. She asked herself the question she came back to almost every day: What would Ladybug do?

  
“Actually I was waiting on Chat Noir. We were going to debrief and then go back to patrolling Paris.” She answered. “He was supposed to be back by now … have you seen him?”  
“Yeah he's downstairs looking for a camera, he got swarmed by the paparazzi as soon as he showed his face. So he's down there answering questions and stuff, you know him.” Adrien chuckled nervously, putting his hand behind his neck.

  
Ladybug scoffed shaking her head. “Classic Chat. Well if you see him, tell him, I'm sorry and that I waited as long as I could.” She cast her yoyo again. “Tell him I'll make it up to him later but right now you should head back down to the party. Enjoy it for the both of us.” She took a step back and was prepared to jump when Adrien called out to her.  
“Ladybug, wait! I-I have something I have to tell you.”

  
She turned to face him. His face was flushed; Marinette fought back the side of her that wanted to gush about how cute he looked. Come on Marinette focus! What would Ladybug do! “Um, I'm sorry but I really have to -"

  
“Please. It'll only take a second.” Adrien held something in his hand but put it away before Ladybug could ask about it. “Ladybug, I-I want to say that- I think you’re great. You actively put you life out on the line to save Paris almost every day and ask for nothing in return. You became an actual superhero instead of someone that just pretends to be. You could have used you powers for literally anything else and you choose to help people and I-" He sighed trying to gather his words. “I guess what I'm trying to say is: Ladybug, I know you're busy right now but I'd love to, I don't know, get a coffee or tea or something and talk? Like it doesn’t have to be a super public place and I don’t want to sound like some weirdo or reporter but I'd like to um, get to know you. M-maybe as friends or something.” Adrien held his own hands tightly. He looked so nervous, Ladybug noticed he was shaking ever so slightly.

  
If she didn't know any better, she'd think Adrien was asking her out? Again under different circumstances this would have been amazing. Her crush was asking her out for coffee on a beautiful Paris night, this was one of the many ways she dreamed this would happen. Of course in her dreams she'd say something cool like “Sounds great, I'll pick you up at eight.” or “I don't know, I'll have to get back to you on that.” To which she'd totally get back to him on that and they'd get married and live amazing fulfilling life together as she got in fashion while helping Adrien figure out if he wanted something more than his modeling career. But those were things she’d do as _Marinette_ not _Ladybug_. She wished she had more time to think. She wanted to say “Maybe. Bye" or nothing at all and swing out of the situation but she couldn't do that to Adrien.

  
“Look Adrien, you seem really, really sweet and I would love to have coffee with you-“ His eyes lit up in away that made the next part even harder than it already was. “-but for your safety, I can't. If Hawkmoth found out I had any kind of relationship with anyone, he'd probably try to kidnap you or harm you to get me to give up my miraculous. He's already done that with you and countless other innocent people; there is no length he'd wouldn't go to just to catch me and I can't put you through that. You and every single Parisian are very important to me and I'd do almost anything to keep you safe even it means passing on getting to know you.” Ladybug laid a firm but gentle hand on Adrien’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I can't grab a coffee with you, Adrien. I wish things could have been different.”

  
Marinette’s heart nearly broke in two when she saw his face. He looked like she had just ripped his heart out of his chest. She wanted to say something reassuring but she could never be there for him the way he wants she to; the way she dreamt of being. “Adrien-" she started.

  
“No. It's okay, I get it.” He took her hand off his shoulder, held between his and lightly squeezed it. “I know this could never happen but I figured I try anyway.” He smiled. She'd seen this smile on almost every billboard in Paris. He smiled like this for the camera and the interviews but he never smiled like this when he was actually doing something fun. She'd seen that smile when ever he was at school or hang out with his friends. It was sincere and real and not made of glass like this one. “I should get back to my friends or anywhere off the roof. I'm not really supposed to be at this party. If my dad knew, he'd ground me until I graduated maybe even longer.” He chuckled and let go of her hand. “Well, it was nice talking to you. Have a nice night, Ladybug.” Adrien waved and started to walk toward the door. He paused with his hand on the doorknob and reached for the paper held in his hands earlier. He turned like he wanted to say something but was interrupted by the door abruptly opening.

  
“Oh my gosh! Ladybug!” Fans rushed out of the doorway followed by even more people. They filled out of the door with cameras and lights calling out her name. Ladybug tugged at her yoyo and swung out in to the night pondering what Adrien was going to say unfortunately, she'd never get that answer.

  
~☆~

  
Adrien let his letter fall from his hand as he slipped out from the roof when the fans and reporters came in. He worked his way down the stairs as seemingly the whole party rush up. He wanted to find his friends, he wanted go home. He shouldn't have come here, he should have listened to his dad, listened to Plagg.

  
“Hey, you okay kid?” Plagg asked as he peaked out from Adrien’s pocket. Adrien put on the face Father had taught him to: Photo Ready. Father taught him to put this face above all others so that no matter what he was actually feeling, he could look the way the photographer or the many debutantes he encountered, wanted him to. Photo Ready was Fake Happy and Adrien hoped it was flawless enough to fool Plagg.

  
“Yeah I'm fine,” He lied, “pretty much what I was expecting. She made some valid points; I probably would have done the same in her shoes.” He shrugged. He wasn't lying about the last part, this was what he was expecting but something in him hoped it would be different. He wished she said yes and they became friends as _Adrien_ and Ladybug instead of _Chat Noir_ and Ladybug. Maybe later as the friendship progressed he'd tell her who he really was or maybe she'd figure it out on her own. For some reason he held on to a happy ending, for some reason he dared to get his expectations up. How foolish he had been.

  
“I'm just glad I got it off my chest. I can rest a bit easier knowing that I at least tried and at the end of the day that's all that matters.” Adrien knew he should listen to himself but the weight on his chest was heavier than before he started; it was smothering him.

  
“Are you sure? I've been with you for a while kid and you seem pretty upset, I can see through that face you put on.” Plagg declared. Adrien tried not let himself be fazed by Plagg's spot on assessment. It took everything in him to not breakdown where he stood. He felt the emotional walls he'd been building all his life go up. All he had to do was pretend Plagg was one of those faceless people he'd been around all his life. He just had to say what Plagg wanted to hear and then he could deal with his emotions by himself.

  
“Okay, yes I'm a little sad, who wouldn't be? I just need a some time to get over it then I'll be back on my paws, I promise." Adrien gave his best smile and forced himself to believe what he just said. Did rejection hurt? Yes. Is it the end of the world? No. He had bigger problems to deal with other than his feelings for Ladybug. He still had to find and bring down Hawkmoth, he still needed to do Madame’s Mendeleiev homework before Monday, he had get ready for a shoot in Mulan two months from today among other things.

  
Plagg hummed. “We’ll talk some more when we get home which we should be heading for right now. We agreed you would be out for two hours. You met your friends, did your speech and said what you had to say to Ladybug. Now it's time to go.”

  
“I know but I can I say goodbye to my friends first? I don't want to just leave and not say anything.” Adrien pleaded. Plagg wasn't taking the bait. Adrien had to up the stakes. ”Plus I think the cheese you ate on the way here was the last of it at home. I wont be able to get anymore until tomorrow but we can go right now if you can last the night without cheese.” Adrien looked around and whispered softly, “I saw them clearing out the cheese on the table here. Chances are it'll be throw away if no one eats it.”

  
Plagg's eyes got big as saucers. “ _WHAT_. THEY'LL THROW PERFECTLY GOOD CHEESE OUT?”

  
Adrien nodded. Plagg's mouth started to water. “Are you sure you'll be okay, Adrien?”

  
Adrien nodded again. “I'm just saying goodbye, I'll be fine all I need is five minutes tops to find everyone. Now go before all the cheese is gone. And be careful.” Adrien poked Plagg on the head “Let's meet up right here. If you get here before me just hide in this plant okay?”

  
“Got it. Five minutes tops. See ya bye!” And with that Plagg zipped off following the shadows.

  
Adrien took a breath and walked to the bathroom. He intended to say goodbye to his friends but he needed to do something else first. Adrien pushed open the bathroom door and called out to see if anyone in there. No answer. He stepped in only to be followed by a black and purple butterfly.

  
For good measure he pushed each and every stall door open. No one was there. He took off the plastic Ladybug mask his friends put on him and cast to the floor. The tired teen walked himself to a sink, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He saw the Adrien that appeared in photo shoots, the Adrien plastered all over Paris, the Adrien that he often saw in the reflection of his father's glasses. A caricature of himself smiled back at him through that mirror and he had come to hate it. This was what people saw when they looked at him; this is was they would risk legal action or physical harm just to get a picture with. This was the face that asked Ladybug for coffee.

  
He gripped the sink and hung his head. He had to get over it, it wasn’t the end of the world. His face felt hot. A lump was forming in his throat. By this time tomorrow, he told himself, he'd be jumping around Paris with her taking down another akuma and everything will be fine. They didn't have to be in a relationship to fight evil together. Their friendship was more than what he needed. He loved the banter they had and told himself they'd lose that if they actually were together. They'd be distracted, kept from doing their jobs effectively. Plus how would that even work? If she said yes maybe they would date and eventually she'd have to meet his father. What a sight that would be! “ _Hey Father, this is my girlfriend: Ladybug!”_ He chuckled. A lone tear found its way down his cheek and on to the sink. Adrien lifted a hand to wipe it away but the tears kept falling from his eyes.

  
The heartbroken teen rubbed his eyes harder trying to stop the tears. He breathed as carefully as he could to try and hold back the sobs. “Calm down, it's okay. You're okay. Everything is going to be fine.” He told himself but the tears just kept flowing. He turned on the faucet and flushed himself with cold water, hitting his cheeks and the water ran down them along with his own tears. “You're fine, you're fine, you're fine!"

  
_You're not._

  
Adrien stopped himself cold. That voice- nobody was supposed to be there. Someone must have walked in when he wasn't paying attention. He turned off the water to hear the voice more clearly.

  
_Poor Adrien. Rejected by the one he loved the most…_

  
“Who's there?” Adrien asked in his strongest voice.

  
_You tell yourself it's fine but it's not. You know that better than I._

  
Adrien shook himself from his daze and checked every stall again. “Who's in here!” He called. The water droplets from the dripping faucet grew louder with every word from the mysterious source.

  
_How pitiful You keep getting your hopes up just for them to come crashing down. Every. Single. Time._

  
The sound of water hitting the sink became a bass drum pounding in Adrien’s ears. He tried reaching for it but the voice continued.

  
_First with your father. Always too busy for you._

  
**Plink.**

  
_Then with Ladybug-_

  
“Stop it.” Adrien pleaded as the pounding grew louder. He still pushed towards the sink, though now it seemed light-years away; with every drop, Adrien's vision worsened. Sharp pain set into his temples.

  
_What were you hoping to accomplish? She could never love you. You're too broken._

  
In his daze, he saw her. She looked at him with pity and turned her back on him. He reached out for her.

  
**Plink.**

  
“I-I am not broken!” He told the voice. He couldn't place where or who the voice was coming from but he knew this wasn't real. None of it was real! He had to believe that.

  
_How can you possibly be there for her when you can't even be there for your friends? What is broken can not fix itself can not fix anything else._

  
Chloe appeared to Adrien. He was trying to help her, trying to reason with her. _“How could you possibly understand! Get out, get out, get out!”_ He felt the pushes in his chest as she shoved him out of her room.

  
**Plink.**

  
He watched helplessly as she slammed the door in his face. From the other side, he saw her fall against the door and sob into her hands.

  
“Chloe, no. I-I am sorry!” He forced himself to remember where he was. He was in the bathroom at _Le Grand Paris_ on the night the ball for Ladybug and Chat Noir. He was in the bathroom at the _Le Grand Paris_ the ball for Ladybug and Chat Noir. He was in the bathroom- the voice shattered his thoughts.

  
_You don't expect them to stay. Do you?_

  
His classmates appeared before him. They wore the fake smiles he had grown to hate, asked the questions he was asked anytime he left the house.

  
“ _What's it like being a model, Adrien?_

  
**Plink.**

  
_“Can I get a picture, Adrien?”_

  
**Plink.**

  
_“What's next for you, Adrien?”_

**Plink.**

  
_“When is the next line of clothes coming out, Adrien?”_

**Plink.**

  
He couldn't see their faces anymore.They faded into black leaving just those smiles floating in overwhelming darkness. Flashes assaulted his eyes, a chorus of voices filled his ears, hands reached out from the void trying to drag him with them.

  
“Leave me ALONE.” Suddenly it all stopped, everything went white. His words echoed back at him. He turned in circles on his hands and knees to trying to make sense of what happened. The room was empty and endlessly stretched around him. His own labored breathing filled the silence.

  
_**Fine.**_

  
The words sounded like lighting behind him. He turned to see his best friends towering over him. There stood Alya, Marinette, and Nino.

  
_“You were a waste of my time anyway.”_ hissed Alya.

  
**Plink.**

  
“Wha-" Adrien started.

  
_“I knew you couldn't be trusted since the first day I met you.”_ Snarled Marinette.

  
**Plink.**

  
“No Marinette I-"

  
_“You could never make time for me, dude.”_ Nino shook his head. _“You were always so self centered.”_

  
**_Plink._ **

  
“Nino please-"

  
_“Enough Adrien. We'll leave so you can be alone, **again**._ ” With Nino and the girls walked into oblivion. Adrien’s chest rattled with a sob. The pounding of the drums came back full force shaking Adrien to his core. He held himself on his hands and knees. Tears stains dotted the ground below him.

 

_Plink._

  
“No. Please don't leave. Come back.” He called. “COME BACK.”

  
The white room shifted to be the foyer in his mansion. His small hands gripped the grey tile beneath them.

  
_“Hush now, Adrien. I'll only be gone for a moment.”_

  
He looked up at his mother. Her blond hair bellowed over her shoulders. Her emerald eyes shone even in the dark of night.

  
Adrien felt himself sniffle. “But maman, where are you going?”

  
Emilie Agreste gently picked up her son and rocked him as she took his back up the stairs to his room. _“I'm  only going on a walk, dear.”_

 

“Can I come with you? Please maman?” Adrien begged. His mother simply sat him into his bed and tucked him in.

 

" _No my little kitten. You have class in the morning.”_

  
“But maman-" Adrien whined.

  
_“No buts Adrien.”_ Emilie scolded wagging her finger. Adrien took his blanket and covered himself up to his nose. _“Since you're up this late how about I read your favorite story? Would you like that?”_

  
Adrien nodded vigorously.

  
_“You'll go to bed after the story right, Adrien?"_

  
“Yes maman.”

  
_“Pinky promise?”_ His mother stuck out her pinky.

  
“Pinky promise.” Adrien repeated. His mother held his pinky with her right hand and tickled him with her left. Adrien laughed with a snort.

  
_“I should be calling you my little piglet instead of my little kitten!”_ Emilie tickled harder. Adrien laughed uncontrollably and his mother laughed with him. She stopped to grab Adrien's favorite book from its shelf. She sat down on his bed, he snuggled close to her but far enough to still see the pictures.

  
_“In the great green room, there was a telephone and a red balloon and a picture of a cow jumping over the moon.”_ His mother started while a single lamp softly illuminated the two and the book. _“And there were three little bears sitting on chairs and two little kittens-“_ Adrien felt his mother rustle his hair. “ _-and a pair of mittens and a little toy house and a young mouse.”_

  
Darkness started to grow even darker from the corners of the room, making its way to the reading mother and her son _._

  
_“And a comb and a brush and a bowl of mush and a quiet old lady who was whispering-"_

  
Adrien knew the book by heart. His favorite part to do was the _“hush"_.

  
_“Goodnight room, goodnight moon, goodnight cow jumping over the moon.”_ The darkness moved in closer as Emilie read. Adrien noticed and tried to say something but lost the words as he felt his mother's gentle hand stroke his head.. _"Goodnight light, and goodnight red balloon. Goodnight bears, goodnight chairs. Goodnight kittens and goodnight mittens-"_ Adrien could feel panic building up in his chest as the darkness moved ever closer but the heaviness of sleep quickly overshadowed it. He felt himself lay his head down on his mother's lap.

  
_“-goodnight clocks and socks. Goodnight little house and goodnight mouse.”_ Adrien's eyelids grew heavy, his head became light. He was a sentence away from falling asleep. _“Goodnight comb and goodnight brush.”_

  
_“Goodnight nobody.”_

  
_“Goodnight Nino, goodnight Alya, and goodnight Marinette. Goodnight Chloe, goodnight Gabriel and goodnight Emilie. Goodnight Paris, goodnight Ladybug and goodnight Chat Noir.”_ Emilie Agreste continued.

  
The darkness was right at the edge of the lamp's light. A darkness darker than thought natural was ready to extinguish the last of the light. It pushed closer leaving Adrien alone laying in the dark.  
His mother's voice echoed in the space, he could still feel her warmth, her hands in his hair. _“Goodnight to Adrien Agreste whispering…”_

  
_“Hush.”_ Adrien finished as he faded into the darkness.

  
Adrien's body sat alone propped up against the door of the bathroom. The makeup his friends had put on his at the beginning of the night was all but gone. His hair was mated to his head with sweat. The silver ring on his hand had finally turned to black as the darkness from the butterfly that followed him worked to consume his body.

  
_“Goodnight stars, goodnight air. Goodnight noises everywhere.”_

_Adrien Agreste, I am Hawkmoth, from now on you'll be who you always wanted to be._


	11. Sincerely, Adrien Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I suck at expressing emotions??

In the stampede that followed after the door to the roof opened, Adrien had dropped his letter. He let it fall from his hand as he shuffled out. Fans and reporters alike seemed to take turns running over the paper, adding creases which turned to tears until the paper was hardly readable. Pieces ripped off and flew into the wind each taking a fraction of Adrien's heart with it. Partygoers disregarded it as just left overs from the party or maybe some trash that was missed when cleaning, and why wouldn't they? It was on the ground, just something someone forgot.

The biggest piece found itself by the door as the last of the crowd filed out. A gust of wind caused by the door closing lifted the piece to its final resting place. It floated free for a moment as if it was trying to make it over the ledge and after Ladybug but was pushed back where it teetered at the end of the pool threatening to fall in. The dusty piece seemed to be desperately holding on the carefully written ink. Under the cover of moonlight and the stars two lovers had previously admired, the lone piece fell into the water. Words bled into each other as water engulfed the page. Thoughts that took week maybe even months to gather simply followed the flow of ripples made by the night time air.

A proclamation left unsaid,

_My dearest, Bugaboo_

_I wrote this letter a thousand and one times but I could never get it right. I tried essays, an old fashioned love letter, and even a poem coupled with a hand full of sonnets. (If you ever figure out who I really am, I'd happy to show you.) I'm writing this to say something so simple yet so complicated. I've come up with just about a million reasons why I shouldn't say this but here goes: I think I love you, Ladybug. I know I don't really know you but I feel like ive known you my whole life. I feel something real when I'm with you. There's something about you that's just so polarizing and I can't help to be drawn to you._

_When I'm not with you I feel this ache in my heart that I've never experienced before. When you're next to me, I feel whole. I feel safe. I feel this overwhelming sense that must be love. I made you a Valentine's card months ago but like this letter, I couldn't find the right words and I threw it away. I wish you'd seen it, i wish i had the courage to give it to you maybe then this would be easier. I know the chances if you returning my feelings are slim and I probably sound like another crazed fan but I mean every word. Everyday we see each other I hope that you'll be mine, together our love could be so true, that was a piece of my poem to you. To my fair maiden with eyes of the deepest blue, and hair of the darkest hues. Know that I love only you my dearest, Bugaboo._

_Sincerely, Adrien Noir_


	12. Protect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to drop a small chapter for you peeps as i work through writers block. Also check the last chapter (before the letter) for trigger warnings

Plagg was worried. He sat in the plant Adrien had asked him to after he'd gotten his share of cheese, but he had been there for a while, much longer than five minutes. As he carefully watched people walk by, he never saw Adrien. He tried to keep himself from panicking but each second made him more and more uneasy and maybe …. guilty? He should have stayed with Adrien. He knew that Adrien wasn't okay needed to go home but his stupid hunger clouded his judgment. He should go looking for Adrien, but how? Even though people were filing out, there was still too many for Plagg to just fly out and start looking. His heart grew heavy, something was wrong. It wasn't like Adrien to tell lies (unless it was his Chat Noir secret of course) but did this count as a lie? Adrien said he'd only be five minutes, that he was just saying goodbye but where _was_ he? Plagg tried make the best possibilities the only ones in his mind. Maybe he and his friends started talking longer than they intended, maybe they went out after they met up? No, Adrien would have come back for him if that was the case. Maybe he ran into Chloe and she was talking his ear off, trying to get him to dance with her? That seemed probable but it didn’t seem _right._

  
Plagg hummed to himself to calm his nerves. A good steady hum always did the trick though it wasn’t working now. Something had to be wrong: he could just feel it. Just then words cut through his mind, clear as day: “Leave me _ALONE!”_ It was Adrien and he was in trouble. The black cat kwamii didn’t hesitate, he left his post and went to find his boy.

  
~☆~

  
Marinette had just detransformed and was currently hurrying back to the party. She found Alya, or more like Alya found her. Her best friend grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Marinette! Where were you!" She exclaimed inbetween shakes. "You missed Ladybug and Chat Noir! We were supposed to cover it together!” Alya almost whined. Marinette legitimately felt bad for missing this moment with Alya but she couldn't be in two places at once! Been there, done that, it didn't work out so well. She had to do damage control and fast before Alya shook her senseless.

  
“I'm sorry Alya! I had to go to the bathroom like really, really bad. Those mini shrimp did not sit well with me.” Marinette lied holding her stomach.

  
Alya stopped shaking and folded her arms with a sigh. “I told you those things looked suspect. Are you feeling better?”  
Marinette nodded vigorously. “Yep totally fine now. Ugh I wish I listened to you! I can't believe I missed Ladybug and Chat! I bet they were amazing.” Marinette tried to saturate her face with anguish and hoped Alya would buy it.

  
Alya wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder. “They were amazing. And lucky for you, I got every amazing second on tape.” She grinned as she shook her phone.

  
The two moved to a less crowded space to watch the video. Marinette was amazed to see herself as Ladybug. So confident and sure of herself, almost as if she really was an entirely different person. Seeing herself as Ladybug never seemed to get old. She watched as her and Chat made up their speech on the fly and how great it sounded. _“Behind_ _every great storm is a greater rainbow,_ ” Chat was saying as the video continued. Marinette wondered where he was right now. She still felt bad about leaving before taking a picture with him; she hoped he understood why she had to go. Marinette could just imagine him running up to the rooftop, camera in hand, only to find it empty.

  
“And that's the video! After that, they ran up to the roof. I tried to follow but the other reporters were ruthless.” Alya proclaimed breaking Marinette's thoughts, “ I'm probably going to spend all night going over it and put a full analysis out tomorrow. I mean it was pretty straightforward but I want to break it down even _further_ for the blog. Wanna help me look through it tonight?”

  
“Sorry, Al. I told my parents I'd be back by 10 and they've been calling every hour on hour since then. I guess saw the blog post about Hawkmoth and started getting worried. But we can Skype when I get back, is that alright?”

  
“Deal. We should probably get going though. The party's almost over.”

  
“What? We just got here.”

  
“Well it's not over, over but most people left after Ladybug and Chat Noir did and Chloe told us “peasants”, her-words-not-mine, that we could leave like two minutes before you came out the bathroom. There's still like an hour left before the party's supposed to end, we can back out there if you want.”

  
“Yeah let's do it, it still have yet to show you the dance moves I've been working on.” Marinette said as she wiggled her shoulders and did jazz hands.

  
Alya snorted, “Alright let's see those moves.” She took Marinette by the hand and led her out to the dance floor.

  
~☆~

  
Plagg found himself weaving in and out every shadow he came across trying to get to Adrien. He didn't have anything to go on other than pure instinct. He made a hard right towards the bathroom, where his instinct was pushing him. As he got close tears pushed at his eyes. He couldn’t understand it. Plagg was worried not sad, this felt like grief, something Plagg hadn't felt it a while.This was something Plagg had never felt before in his thousands of years in existence. It was cold, unforgiving and dark. It moved as a vacuum trying to pull in those that aren't repelled immediately. As he got closer to the bathroom door, the tears were pouring from his eyes, refusing to stop.

  
“What the-" Plagg swiped at the tears until he heard: “No, don’t leave. Come back. _COME BACK!”_ Plagg felt a chill down his spine as he heard Adrien’s calls of distress. Behind that door was such darkness, threatening to pull others into despair. If he wasn’t the god of destruction, he would have gotten pulled into it; drowned in it. It took everything thing Plagg had to focus through the thick darkness before him. He could feel Adrien there along with… HAWKMOTH! His presence was faint but recognizable. Plagg didn’t think the purple kwamii could create this kind of emotion. It was almost like a third party was there commanding the sinister aura causing it to crash in waves over what was most likely Adrien. Plagg tried with all his might to push open the door but to no avail, it was too heavy for him. He cursed whatever being crafted him in existence with such a small body. He tried wiggling through the door, the space was too narrow for him to fit through but he couldn't stop trying. He looked for an opening anything to get to Adrien before it was too late. He found an air vent and managed to squeeze through. He zipped through the vent and stopped over the bathroom. What he saw made his heart sink. There was Adrien, slumped by a door as darkness spread over him.

  
“Adrien!” Plagg called. He squeezed his way out of the vent, making his way to Adrien. He floated as close as he dared trying to not fall prey what was consuming Adrien. “Kid! Hey wake up! You have to fight this! Just follow the sound of my voice.” Plagg anxiously beckoned. “Come on, you said you had to get back to your friends, they're outside waiting for you.” The darkness was spreading showing no signs of stopping as it crossed over Adrien's shoulders and made its way towards his neck. “Aren't they the reason you came? You told me that you planned to have fun with them tonight. You guys were going to dance the night away, remember?” Plagg dared to float closer. The pull of the aura was getting stronger by the second but he needed to be even stronger for Adrien.

  
“Come on Adrien! If you leave, you'll be leaving Paris in the hands of Hawkmoth.” Plagg made an effort not to mention Ladybug, afraid that her name might take him further away. “Come back and protect them! They need you, _I_  need you! _Please.”_

  
**“Protect.”** Plagg heard the word but it sounded brand new to him. It came from Adrien, but it _wasn't_ Adrien. At that moment the boy's eyes flew open. Instead their usual emerald green, his eyes were a mix of that and a deep shade of purple. The aura thickened drastically, Plagg fought as hard as he could to get away from it but it pulled harder and started to drain his energy rapidly.

  
_**“Protect.”**_ Not-Adrien said louder. He was covered up to his nose in the aura. When he spoke he sounded like an old record player, playing its last song. He reached out for Plagg with his ringed finger; Plagg knew what was coming next. The black kwamii felt that sensation he felt when Adrien called on him to transform. He was losing this battle and for the first time in a long time, he feared what would happen to himself.

  
In his last burst of energy, he pictured his counterpart in his mind, trying to focus on every detail from her color to the way she flew. He sent out a distress signal and hoped it reached her. Before he lost consciousness, he saw Adrien, but differently. His wielder looked much younger, no more than five or six years old and he was floating alone in the void, wearing green and black pajamas. Plagg used everything he had to make it to his boy. Pushing through what seemed to be black molasses. Plagg felt exhaustion take hold of every fiber of his being but pressed forward, moving on shear will alone. When he finally made it to him, the weak kwamii collapsed over Adrien’s chest, right where his heart was.

  
Together, they entered oblivion.

 


	13. Dial Tone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two updates in a month? A new record for ya boi Goof

“There you guys are.” Nino had appeared with his packed up equipment next to Alya and Marinette as they stood talking by the door of _Le Grande Paris_.

The party was officially over as the last of the partygoers took their time walking out and the employees went to work taking down the decorations. Clouds covered had all but the once prominent moon while a chill swept through the warm air.

“We were just talking about you, Nino.” Alya remarked. “I was saying how it usually doesn’t take you very long to pack up. Mari was figuring you were picking up your huge check from Mayor Bourgeois and I was thinking you were hitting up the snack table one last time.”

“You were closest babe. The mayor already said I was paid in “exposure” or whatever.” Nino shrugged. “I did hit up the snack table though. I have some of the Ladybug cake pops in my pocket for later.” He patted the pocket of his pants. “I kinda forgot these were Adrien's pants after I fit like twelve cake pops in here. Speaking of Adrien, I was looking for him. That's what took me so long.”

“Did you find him?” Marinette asked.

Nino shook his head. “I looked all over but I couldn't find him. Even checked the bathroom. Found some weird black goop but no Adrien.”

“Weird black goop? What kind of stuff goes on in the boy's bathroom?” questioned Alya.

“Wish I knew-” he thought it over for a second. “uh never mind. I just hope the guy that left that is okay. After the bathroom, I checked back here, the roof and I even asked Chloe-"

Marinette gasped, “You really do care about him.”

“Yeah but Chloe didn't know where he was either. I think she didn't? She said made this weird sound with her mouth and told me to basically get lost.”

“Did you try calling him?” Alya asked.

“Like four times and texted him twice that. I think his robot no-fun-allowing-dad found him and took him home. He still could have returned my calls though.” Nino glanced wistfully at his phone.

“Maybe his dad took phone? He wasn't supposed to be here right? So maybe his dad found out and cut him off from the world.” Marinette said these words but she hardly heard them. Dread filled her heart as she thought back to Adrien pausing on the roof like he wanted to say something to her. She remembered the heartbreak on his face when she basically rejected him. Marinette wondered where he went after she left the roof.

“What do you think Marinette?” Alya was asking her.

“Think of what?” Marinette snapped out of her thoughts

“We were planning on stopping by his house to see if he made it back safely.”

“You think his dad would let us see him at this time of night?”

“Probably not but we could still try.” Alya shrugged.

“She's right, I gotta make sure my bro's okay.” Nino nodded.

“Alright, let's get going.”

~☆~

The trio had arrived at Agreste manor, and stared up at its large gates. It looked like a haunted house that should be at the top of a hill with lighting behind it. Huge shadows rolled over the teens. Marinette shuddered the cold.

Nino took one last look at his phone: no new notifications. He squared his shoulders, took a breath, and walked to the speaker.

A shrill buzz pierced the air. Twenty seconds passed before a camera appeared, examining Nino.

“Yes?” Nathalie asked sounding annoyed already.

“Uh is Adrien home?”

“He's turned in for the night and is not taking any visitors. Goodnight.”

“Will you tell'em I came-" He heard the speaker click off, “-by?” He clicked his tongue, “Not cool, dude.”

“It was worth a shot.” Alya put a hand on Nino's shoulder. “At least we know he's okay. Come on guys let's go home.”

The pair started to walk off leaving Marinette in the shadow of the Agreste mansion. Something didn't seem right. She couldn't quite pin point why but she didn't think Adrien was home. She felt crazier than usual and that was saying a lot. His father's assistant wouldn't lie, so why didn't Marinette believe her? Maybe Adrien's dad really did find out and lock him up, but why couldn't that be the end of it?

“Marinette, you coming?” Alya called.

“Yeah, I'm right behind you.” She took one last look at the Agreste mansion as if its grey bricks could give her the answers she craved. They just stood there like bricks keeping their secrets to themselves. Marinette looked them up and down once more before leaving.

~☆~

“Marinette, what's wrong?” Tikki questioned as Marinette turned off her computer. She had just finished examining the Ladybug and Chat Noir footage for the Ladyblog with Alya. She should have been tired since the two girls talked till one in the morning but her mind was racing.

“I don't know, Tikki. I can't stop worrying about Adrien.” She replied pushing away from her desk.

“Worrying about Adrien? What's there to worry about? Nathalie said he’s at home, safe and sound.”

“I know but I got this feeling I just can't shake. He would have found some way to let us know he's alright, right? Like one last text or a quick message on a social media account. He wouldn't have just _vanished_.” Marinette threw her hands in the air standing from her chair.

 “It's probably like you said, Marinette. Maybe his dad took his phone?” Tikki floated from the table to keep up with Marinette's pacing.

“If his driver came and picked him up, he could have shot a text right then _before_ he got back home and got his phone taken away. Or he could have used his computers before those got taken away. _Something isn't right_.”

“Calm down, Marinette. I'm sure he's fine-”

“What if he isn't!” Marinette almost screamed. She stopped pacing and sank to the floor with her hands on her face. “I'm sorry Tikki. I don't know why I can't just let this go.” She took her hands off her face, letting her arms flop on either side of her.

Tikki floated above her before sitting on Marinette's forehead. She looked down at Marinette with her huge blue eyes. “Maybe you're worried because of what happened on the roof.”

Marinette sat up slowly letting Tikki fall into her hands. She sighed looking off to the side. “I don't know what happened on the roof, Tikki. He asked me to go out for coffee and I said no. What's more to understand? That should have been the end of it right? Why wasn't that the end of it?”

“Could it be that you feel bad that you said no?”

“Well it sounded like he was asking me out. _Me,_ as Ladybug. He was saying how cool I was and how he wanted to get to know me better. What was that supposed to be other than asking me out?”

“He said he wanted to get to know you as a friend.”

“Yeah, _‘or something’_. I think it was ‘or _something_ ’ by the way he was blushing. He looked so nervous.”

“You're Ladybug. You're like a celebrity now Marinette. That's more than enough reason to be a little nervous.”

“I know but he's talked to me before as Ladybug but he never got that worked up. And he had something in his hand, like a paper or something. I think that was meant for me.”

“Marinette,” Tikki spoke as calmly as she could, “I'm sure he understands why you couldn't hang out with him. You gave him very valid points and let him down easy. Sure he'll be a little upset. After all, it probably took him a lot of courage to find you and tell you. I think he just needs some time to come to terms and he should be fine.”

“He'll have all the time he needs if he's locked up.” muttered Marinette.

Tikki floated up and rubbed against Marinette’s cheek. “Don't worry, everything will be okay.” She comforted. Marinette returned the effort at a hug and sighed.

“Maybe you're right Tikki.” Marinette resolved. She enjoyed the red kwamii's company more than she could ever say. Tikki always seemed to know what to say and when, like her parents but she was always there to confide in about almost anything like Alya or like a sister or a mentor. Tikki also was apart of Ladybug, in way, Tikki gave her the confidence she only imagined when she became Ladybug. Marinette lifted herself off the floor, set Tikki on her bed and took a shower.

In hindsight, she should have just went to sleep after getting off the floor. In the shower she thoughts ran as free as the water pooling at her feet. She had successfully taken her mind off of Adrien but that left room for other things, mainly Hawkmoth. Where was he?

She hadn't seen an akuma since early Thursday morning, and since it was past twelve, today was Sunday and still no Hawkmoth. Not that she was complaining about not working but Hawkmoth usually attacks fairly regularly yet now he was absent. As shampoo from her hair ran down her shoulders, she thought about the ball. Marinette remembered Alya putting up a warning on the Ladyblog for everyone to be not-akumatize-able. And _nothing_ happened. She checked the Ladyblog all night and in between dancing; the blog was eerily silent. All across Paris, there were no reports of akumas. Maybe the Ladyblog that deeper affect on its viewers than she realized.

Marinette frowned, she should have been celebrating this. Hawkmoth was taking a break so she should take one too. But he had to be planning something unless he went out of town or took a vacation or something. The troubled teen finished her shower and put on her pajamas. Before she walked out the bathroom, she wiped the steam off the mirror. She saw the worry in her face, the way her nose wrinkled when she was working through a problem she was determined to solve.

“Tomorrow I'll patrol with Chat once or twice then leave the whole thing alone.” She told her reflection, “If Hawkmoth wants to run scared, then we'll let him.” She grinned and turned out the light.

~☆~

Marinette had gotten up relatively early given her late night. She woke up in time to eat breakfast with her parents at eight and help them prepare enough trays of pastries to last the day. She talked with Alya about the blog and ball until about one in the afternoon. After that, the girls added Nino to the chat. He still hadn't heard from Adrien, though he planned to drop his best friend’s house later. This didn't make Marinette any less tense but she fought to keep her cool. When they ended the call, Marinette looked through her backpack for any stray pieces of homework: she found none. Every ten minutes, she checked the Ladyblog for new events and it was buzzing about the ball not about any akumas.

She fought to keep herself busy, to keep her mind off the things that troubled her and so far it wasn't working. Now sitting at her desk with her sketchbook under her, she found no inspiration. Marinette sighed letting her head fall gently on her desk.

Tikki zipped from where she had been previously enjoying a cookie. “You alright, Marinette?”

Marinette gave a thumbs up without lifting her head.

“That doesn't look like alright.” Tikki remarked.

As Marinette lifted her head, she noticed something was stuck to it. It was a ripped piece of paper from her homework with a sketch of Chat Noir drawn on it. She remembered the night it was drawn, her homework, the spilled lemonade, and her friends staying up all night to help her. Regrettably, she remembered her surprise when Adrien appeared that night in her doorway. His hair sticking up at all directions, his hoodie hanging off his shoulders… she pushed him from her mind. His memory only made her worry now.

Her attention drew back to the somewhat smeared sketch. She set the picture down on top of her open sketchbook and took up a pen.

“I decided to do a patrol with Chat. I've been thinking about that all day, whether or not to do it.” She blew a puff of air from her nose and scribbled some black in Toon Chat's eyes to make him look less lifeless. “I think it'll help me take my mind of some things if I'm working. Maybe I'll catch an akuma to blow off some steam.” Marinette shrugged as she worked on coloring in lines on Toon Chat's hair. She left out the part at her questioning Hawkmoth’s and Adrien's disappearance. Talking about it would make it real especially with Hawkmoth being missing. When her mind wandered, it made up conspiracy theories about him. He might be doing evil surfing in Hawaii, spending time with his kids if he had kids, or planning something sinister in his moth or hawk or some weird hybrid of a lair.

“You're not planning on swinging by Adrien's house during this patrol are you, Marinette?” Marinette wasn't looking at her but she figured Tikki’s tiny arms were crossed smugly. She kept herself from blushing at the question. If she _happened_ to swing by Adrien's bedroom window. It wouldn't be _intentional_ of course but if it happened, it _happened._

“N-no I just want to do something to calm down. I've been restless since yesterday, plus I need to give Chat that picture I promised.”

Again wasn't looking but she figured Tikki was rolling her eyes. “Sure, Marinette.” She was certain she heard Tikki stiffing a giggle. “When are we leaving?”

“Right after I finish this.” Replied Marinette. She went to work outline the rest of the Toon bust of Chat. She paused for a minute to note how weird he looked in a white suit instead of black. Pen in hand, she colored in Chat's suit complete with a highlighter yellow bell at his neck.

Toon Chat grinned at her from the page. She couldn't help but grin back. Before she left for patrol, she pinned the torn piece of paper on her corkboard.

~☆~

Ladybug patrolled Paris for almost two hours and she _happened_ to swing by Adrien's place three times. Every time she passed, the scene remained the same. The shutters were drawn tight and it looked like the lights were off. On one of her totally-not-planned visits to Agreste manor, she noticed Nino at the gate. By the looks of it, he got the same treatment he did the night before.

After awhile, Ladybug perched on a roof and decided to call Chat for seemingly the fifth time in the two hours she had been out. On this call like all the others, he didn't answer. Ladybug sighed. This wasn’t uncommon for the duo. They could only communicate when they were inside their suits at the same time; she really hated that about their suits but she understood it. She probably wouldn't be able to explain if her earrings started buzzing and flashing during class if Chat called her then.

For a millisecond, she worried that he was avoiding her. Quickly the thought left her mind; Chat would never avoid her on purpose. He couldn't have been that upset about the picture last night, he was probably somewhere in Paris doing Chat things.

Ladybug sat on the roof looking down on the lazy Sunday afternoon. Chat was possibly down there doing normal things which she pictured often. Ladybug didn’t know a lot about Chat, like his age, or his favorite color or his birthday and he knew nothing like that about her but she pictured him around her age. Maybe he was running errands with his mom or riding bike with his friends, or testing his jokes at on the ladies of Paris. She imagined that someday he'll make some important girl laugh and they live a life together; she wanted that for him. Countless times he's tried to hit on her and countless times she'd turned him down. As the softly chilled air swept around her, she hoped he found happiness.

Her mind also often wondered to life after they defeated Hawkmoth. She hoped that she'd be still able to have Tikki even if it meant she'd never be Ladybug again, but she had a feeling in heart that she would have to return her miraculous to Master Fu, the guardian who chose her to take up Ladybug's mantle. On the day Hawkmoth was defeated, she imagined having her miraculous in one hand and Hawkmoth’s in the other; she imagined saying goodbye. Ladybug sighed and laid on her back with her arms behind her head looking at the clouds as they passed.

In her imagination, Chat was there too because it would be harder if he wasn't. He would take off his mask and they'd finally meet face to face. Together, they would still keep the secret of who they were from the public but they'd be able to share stories about being superheroes or fun tales of how they snuck out to transform or maybe they'd just hang out. She believed Chat would be as confident without the mask as he was with it. Chances are that he’d ask her out since they wouldn't have to protect Paris anymore. If she wasn't already married to or dating Adrien, she'd possibly consider it.

Ladybug let her eyes close on that rooftop. She saw that grin of his in the back of her mind.

~☆~

“I'm home.” Marinette called as she returned. It was a little after six, right around the time she told her parents she'd be back from drawing around Paris. This wasn’t necessarily a lie, she drew different things in Paris but she did it as Ladybug. She had some amazing aerial reference points that she penciled in her sketchbook.

The smell of dinner greeted her at the door. “We're in here, Marinette!” her mom called from the kitchen.

Marinette ran quickly up to her room, letting Tikki out of her purse, giving her a cookie or two before getting back down stairs. Her mom was stirring something savory in a large pot on the stove while his dad was buttering what smelled like fresh baked rolls. Her stomach growled with anticipation. “Evening, maman.” She kissed her mother on the cheek, “Evening, papa.” She also gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Good evening, sweetheart.” Her father said with a warm smile. “Would you mind setting the table?”

“On it.” replied Marinette. She washed her hands then started her task. It didn't take long to set the table, it never did since it was always just the three of them, but Marinette didn’t mind. She loved coming home to dinner and talking with her parents about their today. For the most part, the bakery is the same so when some exciting does happen, it quickly becomes the highlight of dinner talk.

When the last napkin was placed, Sabine had all three bowls held in her arms. She set them in their places gracefully as Tom set down a basket of rolls. They sat in there respective seats and started eating.

“So,” Tom started after a couple bites, “how did the ball go yesterday, Marinette?”

“It was amazing.” She truly meant it. Aside from two topics she was already overthinking, the ball was fun. It warmed her heart to see the people who she and Chat saved, the fan art of them on the walls, and just the amount or people that just came to say thank you by simply showing up. She loved the moment with Chat as they made up something great on the fly. It reminded her of how they did missions: a mix of planning, just going with the flow and believing that it'll work out. Dancing with Alya was her favorite part. On a dare from her best friend, they danced like no one was watching. It made Marinette extremely uncomfortable at first but as Nino's melodies floated through the crowd, her body followed the rhythm.

“They had a huge Ladybug and Chat Noir ice sculpture, Jagged Stone played a killer set, and then Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up. I somehow missed them come on stage but I saw the video, they were great.” Marinette tried to keep her face in between upset but still excited as she told the part about the speech. “Then me and Alya danced until they closed the place down.”

Her parents looked happy to hear about her night but when she finished, they shared a look that she didn't understand.

“It sounds like you had fun, Cupcake.” Her mother said although she looked like she had something she wanted to add.

“It something wrong, maman?” asked Marinette.

She watched her mother take a breath as if she was going to say something difficult. “While you were at this party, did you happen to see your friend, Adrien?”

The air seemed to leave Marinette's lungs. Her heart sank to her shoes. Why would her mom ask about that? She tried to find the logic in it, had it not been for what happened on the roof, that would have been easier to do. She would have thought this conversation was going to the “did you dance with him” or “did you see your friend across the room” or something harmless to which she would have sputtered some answer through flushed cheeks, but this was different.

This time she was already worried about where Adrien was, on top of that she knew his father didn't want him at the dance. Though it was probably wrong of her to do so, she hoped Adrien's dad had called to confirm Adrien had snuck out to the ball. She imagined Adrien standing sheepishly by his father as he made the phone calls that would cement him being grounded. She thought about lying and saying he wasn't there to save him from possible grounding but the expressions on her parents face said it was more than that. They looked _concerned_ not that “you/ your friend may or may not be grounded after according to your answer" kind of look.

Her parents noticed how long it took her to answer. Sabine nodded at Tom. He set down his spoon. “We're asking because his father's assistant, Ms Sancoeur, called looking for him. She figured he left before breakfast and hasn't made an effort to call since then. We think she was started to get worried because he missed all the things she had planned for him today and that was out of character for him.”

Dinner started to crawl back up Marinette's throat. If Adrien hadn't been home all day then that meant-

“Sweetheart,” her mother cooed in her calmest voice, “we're asking about Adrien and the ball because it was one of the last things Ms. Sancoeur overheard Adrien and his father talk about before Mr. Agreste when on a business trip.”

The room seemed to spin at an impossible rate. Adrien's father _wasn't_  there during the ball so he _didn’t_ pick up Adrien and if Nathalie was calling about him then, _then-_

“May I be excused please!” Marinette asked standing abruptly.

“Of course, but Marinette-" her dad started.

“Thank you!” Marinette quickly bowed and headed upstairs. She closed her door and sat again her wall trying to catch her breath. Her stomach felt carbonated, her legs felt like jelly, she was shaking. Simply put, she was overwhelmed. Marinette didn't understand why she felt _this_ much unease. This might have been a panic attack. She knew she should have been worried but this was too much; there was no way she should have been this shaken. Something deep within her rattled her soul like it was trying to shake her awake.

 Vaguely, she heard the sound of Tikki's frantic voice calling her name. She closed her eyes trying to calm her panicked body. The darkness under her eyelids became darker than she'd ever experienced. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't in her bedroom. She didn't know _where_ she was. The wall she once sat against was gone, she couldn’t feel the floor, she was _floating._ Her hair floated freely around her like she was underwater. Around her appeared endless darkness. She looked down at herself feeling some relief when she could she her body although it was _glowing._ Light was actually coming from her body. She wanted to scream but she couldn’t find her voice. Words formed in her throat, her lips moved to form them but nothing came out. As she floated there, the pitch black darkness became lighter. Her glow seemed to be spreading around the space leaving streaks of dark purple in it's wake making wavy openings in the dark. Marinette felt the built up pressure in her body slowly release. The breath she had been holding in, left her. In a fleeting thought, the area looked like what she imagined actually being in outer space looked and felt like all it was missing was stars. Right between her eyes just in her sight, a star blinked into existence. Not one of the actual balls of gas, but a dot like the ones she often saw from her rooftop.

Suddenly, Marinette felt something pull her forward. She jetted through the space at an impossible speed as if someone put a rocket on her back. From what she could see, the darkness moved giving way to the streaks and stars. At some point Marinette started to lose speed, coming to a spinning stop. She waved her arms putting herself at what felt upright. In front of her floated a tangle of purple tendrils in roughly the shape of a large box the size of house.

Thunder clapped somewhere loud enough to send a joint through her system ripping through the silence but somehow, she didn’t go deaf. The sound of rain started abruptly accompanied by the chill of a cold front. Voices filled the air like ghosts too muffed to make out but one stood out from the rest. It came from the box. Marinette couldn't tell who it was or what they were saying but she knew it's source unlike the other voices around her. She floated gently down to the box and tried to see through the spaces between the vines.

The only thing in the box seemed to be a little boy floating right in the center, he seemed unconscious. She couldn't place the feeling but she felt a deep connection to the slumbering boy; she knew he wasn't supposed to be there.

Marinette reached out for the boy. She had almost gotten a hand through when she brushed against a purple vine. A blood curdling scream shook the plane. A force that felt like a hand wrapped around Marinette’s throat and pushed her back faster than she came.

Her eyes flew open and her head smacked against a wall. She stifled a curse cradling the back of her head.

“Marinette!” Tikki screeched. “What happened! Are you alright! You're burning up!”

Marinette leveled her breathing, trying to come to terms with what just happened. The floating, glowing, the purple box, the boy, _the scream_. It still rang in her ears. Right now she was back in her room, covered head to toe in sweat but shaking like she was cold.

“W-water.” She managed. Her mouth felt dry as a desert, she was surprised she didn’t cough up dust. She watched Tikki rush to her desk and struggle to bring a half full bottle of water. Marinette reached out weakly for the bottle, drinking greedily. When the bottle was empty, Marinette caught her breath.

“Marinette,”

“I'm okay.” Marinette breathed. Her rapid heart rate was almost back to normal, she was sweating less. She put her hand on the wall, struggling to get up.

“Careful, Marinette.” Tikki buzzed with concern. Marinette took shaky steps to sit in her desk chair. Five minutes passed before she started to feeling better. Exhaling, she thanked the stars that was over.

“What happened?” She asked Tikki.

Tikki was startled by the question. The small kwamii fluttered nervously. “Are you feeling alright?”

Marinette looked at her hands, they weren't shaking and her heart didn't feel like a jackhammer again her ribs anymore. She nodded.

Tikki floated uncomfortably for a couple seconds before taking a breath. “Well, first you came up here looking like you'd seen a ghost. Then you sat over there and started shaking and sweating. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head then you started to spasm. I-I didn’t know what to do. I mustered all the healing strength I could and laid on your chest. You stopped moving but your heart rate steadied. Then you woke up.”

Marinette took all this in. It still didn't make sense but she was almost certain she probably died. How else do you explain what happened? She was about to tell Tikki what she experienced when her phone rang. She reached over to grab the phone from her purse. The screen flashed. It was a group call with Alya and Nino.

She cleared her throat testing out couple 'hello's' before answering. “Hello?” she finally answered.

What Nino said next confirmed her previous fears, bringing a cold sweat down her spine.

“Adrien never came home last night.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey its Max here and this was my first story. If you liked it, let me know if I should continue it. Thank you for reading!


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